The Los Angeles–based collective known for wild, freeform creativity builds off a foundation of classic funk and soul à la the Meters, the Funk Brothers, and Booker T. & the M.G.'s, then incorporates mellow R&B-inflected pop of ‘70s superstars like the Bee Gees, the Doobie Brothers, and Steely Dan. Most importantly, Vulfpeck's millennial constituents — drummer/keyboardist/singer Jack Stratton, guitarist/drummer/singer Theo Katzman, bassist Joe Dart, and keyboardist Woody Goss — infuse the band's vintage touchstones with unbridled energy and mind-bending musicianship. Performances elevate their every note into a celebration of groove music in all its forms. Vulfpeck concerts are typically showcases of raw talent, dance-friendly jams, and songs to sing along to. The number of onstage band members ebbs and flows, soloing, dueting, trading instruments, bantering with one another, and inviting guests to sit in. They often stretch out to five, six, or seven musicians while unspooling exploratory flights of improvisation or digging into whip-tight, hard-hitting songs.

Vulfpeck Background

The Vulfpeck story began at the University of Michigan in the early '10s, when the four founders came together to perform as a live rhythm section for an on-campus concert. Jack Stratton, a musicologist as well as performer, modeled the band's aesthetic after the great unsung backing bands of famous recording studios, including Motown, Stax, and Muscle Shoals. After graduation the core quartet moved to L.A. as a group and worked their way into the city's creative community, bringing along collaborators such as featured vocalist Antwaun Stanley and guitarist Cory Wong. They released EPs and albums on their own Vulf Records, growing their fame entirely via killer recordings and word of mouth about their live shows (as well as one attention-grabbing stunt that gamed Spotify's accounting system). In a short time, they've gained fan bases across Europe and the U.S. — big enough that 2019 sees them playing two of America's grandest concert venues: Red Rocks in May, and Madison Square Garden in September. Young though they are, the Vulfpeck phenomenon is just getting started.