Funkology Cleveland Live Music Interview
Funkology interview – Cleveland live music at Legacy Village near you.
With a name like Funkology, this Cleveland band isn’t your average act. Along with a setlist packed with classics, they bring a whole lot of fun to the stage. We sat down with this talent to learn more about their musical journey. If you want to see Cleveland live music near you performing for free, join Funkology on “The Lawn” at Legacy Village’s Legacy Live Saturday, July 12, from 5-8pm.
To start off, provide me with a little context on your history. How did you all come together? What was the initial spark that began the formation of Funkology?
The original Funkology was put together in 2004 for a summer band competition at the old Fat Fish Blue in downtown Cleveland. Most of us were music teachers – hence our name (ology). We started out as a kind of Tower of Power, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chicago tribute band. That group lasted less than a year. In 2007, a few of us decided to reform the group. 18 years later – here we are!
How would you describe your band in a few words?
High energy with Horns.
What has been your favorite place to perform thus far? What was it about that performance that made it the best?
I’m not just saying this because you’re interviewing us, but Legacy Live is definitely one of our favorites. The crowd is amazing, the location is super cool, and Miranda, the Marketing Manager, is awesome to work with. Not to sound too broad, but performing from May – September in so many different cities is my favorite part of performing in Funkology. We have 19 stops on our 2025 Outdoor Tour, and I love seeing the different, unique cities we have here in Northeast Ohio.
Do you have a favorite song to perform as a band? Why?
My personal favorite is Don’t Stop Believin’ because the drum part is fun and different. The song that means the most to the band is one we do at every show. We always dedicate “Listen to the Music” by the Doobie Brothers to all our past musician friends who are, sadly, no longer with us. We ask the crowd to sing along with us. It gives us a moment to reflect and pay tribute. Our closing number (and add on) is one of our favorites too…. if you know, you know. If not – make sure to come see us!
Who are your biggest musical influences? Why?
As a band – Chicago is probably the consensus number 1. As we always say – there are a lot of great bands in Northeast Ohio, but not many can pull off Chicago because they don’t have the horn section we have. Their music is more challenging than most of everything else we play, also. Me personally – my drum teacher studied under Gene Krupa, so I had a jazz influence growing up. However – I was in middle school and high school in the 80’s, so give me Bon Jovi, Journey or Bryan Adams any day of the week!
Do you have any pre-show or post-show rituals?
At our age – pre-show routines entail taking Tylenol to get through the show! Haha. Just kidding. We really don’t have any rituals per say.
Can you share a moment where you felt proud of your band?
We were honored to play at Progressive Field for a private event in 2023. I remember looking over the dug out towards the field and thinking – “I can’t believe how far we’ve come. This is as good as it gets.” For a group of friends who all have day jobs and are just doing this for the love of it – it’s been an amazing ride.
What makes Funkology, Funkology?
Horns! High energy. Music from all the decades. Most importantly – people who watch us can tell we love what we’re doing. We have been playing together for a long time and you can see the camaraderie between everyone.
What do you hope to see for Funkology in the future?
Honestly – we are right where we want to be. We are so honored to have Legacy Village and 18 other stops on our 2025 Outdoor Tour. We have great relationships with communities all over Northeast Ohio. We have been humbled to be a part of dozens of weddings and special events, as well. Next immediate goal is to make it to 20 years as a band. October 14, 2027 will mark our 20th Anniversary. But honestly – we started with no goals in mind. We just wanted to play our instruments and have fun. It’s all gravy from now on. We just try to soak it all in.
Thank you so much to Funkology for giving us the time out of your day to answer these interview questions! We look forward to having you here to perform soon!
Visit their website funkologycleveland.com/index.html
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