Jack06292016

livemusic
Chris Castro
Vocals, Drums
Greg Miller
Bass, Guitar
Edwin Rivera
Vocals, Keys
Andy Wiltshire
Vocals, Guitar
FUN SICK PHONY
aims to make Jax a music hub
When Fun Sick Phony
takes the stage,
classically great songs
like “No Diggity” receive a soulful
and jazzy spin.
Within the Indie Funk genre,
this band also puts itself into
playing a mix of Rock, Blues,
and Funk styles. The guitarists’
electric riffs fill the room, followed
by groovy key sounds and catchy
drumming that shuffles the room
into a funk — the good kind.
A full set — a combination
of originals and covers —
is punctuated by lengthy
instrumentals that allow each
musician to show off his skill.
The band’s four members —
Andy Wiltshire (vocals, guitar),
Edwin Rivera (vocals, keys), Greg
Miller (bass, guitar) and Chris
Castro (vocals, drums) — have
fallen in love with Jacksonville.
Members of the group say they have
COURTNEY CLARK
jack
experienced a growth in bookings
during the past six months.
Fun Sick Phony used to be
known as The Rub, but members
opted to change the name when
former lead singer Robbie Raspa
left the band.
Castro and Raspa, who played
music for more than seven
years while they were
stationed here in
the Navy, formed
the band in 2012.
Although they had
to dig hard to find
the music scene back
then, they knew they
wanted to continue making
music as civilians.
Raspa, who recently left the
band on good terms for personal
reasons, explains that Jacksonville
has a style of music that is specific
to the city. She describes it as a
mix of Indie, Southern, Blues and
ROBBIE RASPA
Rock. Jacksonville’s “eclectic
vibe” is what drives the band.
Rather than trying to make it big
and move away from the river city,
band members wanted to grow
with the evolving music scene. For
them, there’s no reason to leave a
city when the city can be built.
Like Nashville and
Country, band members
hope to help make
Jacksonville the
music hub (style to
be determined) of
the Southeast.
Rivera, who
took on management
responsibilities after
Raspa’s departure, explains that
networking among local musicians
is essential. Performing with other
musicians helps build a network in
town, which is why the band hosts
Jam Sessions every other Friday at
Downtown’s Hourglass Pub.
To build upon Jacksonville’s
local music framework, Rivera
believes the city desperately
needs more live-performance
venues. He said it would be much
easier for them to spring up if
the Jacksonville City Council
would lower the cost of a liquor
license. More venues would attract
more touring musicians, which
would create conversation about
Jacksonville as a destination and
the envisioned music hub.
Music is culturally and
universally shared, Rivera says,
because everyone loves some
form. Even so, local musicians
feel hindered when a community
doesn’t support live performances.
Jacksonville-based recording
studios — True Tone Studios and
Endangered Wise Men Studios
— the ones used to record the
band’s EP, also play a pivotal
role in transforming the musical
environment of the city. Rivera said
the high-quality sounds emanating
from these studios make it possible
for bands like Fun Sick Phony to
post their music online, which will
lead to even more networking.
j
Edwin
FUN SICK PHONY
For booking information, contact
Rivera at (321) 848-2855.
JUNE 29-JULY 12, 2016
| jack 17