Ghost Funk Orchestra Curate a Soulful Experience at Austin's Levitation Festival

New York 10-piece ensemble, Ghost Funk Orchestra cooked up some insanely polished grooves this past  weekend at Antone’s. The band sure knew how to stir up a crowd and get everyone moving in the small  nightclub, while also keeping them on the edge begging for more as they were still catching their breath.

Throughout the night, vocalists Romi Hanoch and Megan Mancini sung with choreographed dance moves and alternating facial expressions on sharp pauses in between the songs. Their unique theatrical  element tied in magically with the ever evolving and abundant instrumentation on stage.  

The band made a humble introduction of its many members, including Billy Aukstik on trumpet, Jeremy  Stoddard Carroll on bass, Stephen Chen on sax, Mario Gutierrez on drums, James Kelly on trombone,  Joshua Park on guitar, Brian Plautz on saxophone and flute, and lastly founding member Seth  Applebaum on guitar.  

They dished out many layered masterpieces such as the retro-style “Fuzzy Logic” from the album An  Ode To Escapism, the lush “Blockhead” from the album A New Kind Of Love, the unconventionally  signatured “Seven Eight” from the album A Song For Paul, and the surf-infused “Brownout” from the  album Night Walker / Death Waltz. 

With so many talented musicians sharing one stage, the crowd couldn’t get enough of the funky  rhythms this band was putting down throughout their set. If you want to get down all night long, this is a  band to keep on your radar!

Review & Photos by: Rachel Imre

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