Photos by Jack Gobbe
It’s rare to see a band capture a crowd’s energy like Phony Ppl. The Brooklyn five-piece took over The Triffid and truly made it their own, elevating their blend of soul and funk into a night to remember.
The band immediately set the tone by kicking their set off with “Nowhere But Up”, which immediately had the crowd swaying to its smooth basslines and heavenly vocals from frontman Elbie Thrie. "Take it Easy" and "Love Just Died" followed, demonstrating the band's ability to seamlessly blend different musical genres into a cohesive, soulful sound that had the audience grooving along.
As the night progressed, it became clear that Phony Ppl knew how to find and revel in a pocket of sound. This couldn’t be more obvious than throughout several of their solos, which allowed each band member to take the spotlight and shine bright.
Whether it was bassist “Barry Bass” (the name checks out)’s funky solo or guitarist Elijah Rawk’s solo Metallica cover, each member flexed their own prowess with ease, and too much crowd fanfare.
"Why iii Love the Moon" closed out the night, with their breakout tune immediately capturing the biggest singalong from the crowd. It’s safe to describe Phony Ppl’s sound as empowering and soulful, an energy only amplified by seeing them live. Do yourself a favour and catch this Brooklyn funk outfit wherever you can.
