Free at Noon Flashback: Swift Technique gets us out of our funk with theirs

Swift Technique | photo by Tiana Timmerberg for WXPN | spotlightviews.com

Sporting Sixer jerseys and worshiping stuffed penguins, local funk collective Swift Technique took over the World Cafe Live stage for a Free at Noon extravaganza of epic proportions, as the 10-piece (yes! your move The World Is…) brought out all stops to make their hometown return one to remember.

Since funk isn’t a genre I dive into to regularly, I constantly forget how gosh darn fun it is. And our friends Swift Technique were courteous enough to remind the World Cafe audience of that. Frontpeople Chelsea ViaCava and Nik Greeley drove the festivities, conducting the massive group’s upbeat rhythms between each band member’s show-off solos. And they really were just showing off. Gut-busting drums, face-melting guitars, bouncy keys and damn sexy sax traded off spotlights while coming together to jam their cares away. Jumping between ViaCava’s alluring delivery and Greeley’s frat-house-energy, their spell never broke (even if some sweat did).

After a quick ID from our fearless leader Helen Leicht, bassist Jake Leschinsky made a quick shoutout to Mr. and Mrs. Leschinsky (before the brass section joined in), leading into another jam accentuated by Leschinsky’s groovy-as-hell solo. Before they parted ways with the hip-popping crowd, the band had to leave in the only way they could: obviously, a funktastic cover of Guns and Roses “Welcome to the Jungle”.

So while ViaCava strained her registry, brass and friends can out into the crowd in a conga line of shiny gold metal. A smile never left anyone’s face, and as I wrapped up my final Free at Noon as an intern here, I’m reminded of why I went into music in the first place; it’s just so freaking fun. So thank you Swift Technique, I hope to party with you again soon.