WhatzUp - Heartland Art, Entertainment & Recreation

WhatzUp

2006 Best Live Band
16.86% Freak Brothers*

15.33% Definitely Gary*

11.59% Wailhounds*

8.14% I, Wombat*

7.47% Moser Woods*

5.46% Twelve and Two*

4.41% Plow

2.39% Brother

2.11% Ton-Up Boys

2.01% Shilo, Ulikely Alibi

1.34% Legendary Trainhoppers

1.05% Pleasing Melani

0.96% Junk Yard Band, Pop ‘n’ Fresh Revue

0.86% Riverbottom Nitemare Band

0.77% Coda, Nostalgia, Sub-Surface

0.67% The Bee's Knees, Made to Change, Sketch Machine

0.57% All Nite Skate, Huckleberry Blue, Savannah, Tri-State Killing Spree

0.48% Good Night Gracie, The Lurking Corpses, North River Agents, Sirface

Others with Votes (more than one):
Brad Kelsey & Triple Tornado, Third Frame, Action Jaxson, Borrowed Time Band, homeless J, Migraines, Stone Soup, Fabulous Rhythm Kids, The Goddammits, The Kegel's, Orange Opera, Renegade, Second Sun, Slagg, Soulfyre, Under the Wake, Waking Abbott, Zephaniah

2005 Winner: Freak Brothers
2004 Winner: Freak Brothers
2003 Winner: Freak Brothers
2002 Winner: Blue Moon Boys
2001 Winner: Strut Train
2000 Winner: Blue Moon Boys
1999 Winner: Blue Moon Boys
1998 Winner: Blue Moon Boys
1997 Winner: Blue Moon Boys
* On the ballot
Winners
      By now The Freak Brothers should have the routine down; their name is announced as a Whammy nominee in one or three or five categories and then their name is announced as a Whammy winner. Simple. At least that's the way it's been for the past three years or so. Why should this year be any different? Allow me to delineate. Best Live Band, Funk Performer and Overall Performer three years in a row. In 2005, for good measure, The Freak Brothers added Best R&B Performer to their pile. It's only natural, then, that this year they are at it again, pulling down three more Whammys for Best Funk Performer, Best R&B Performer and Best Live Band.

      For some, winning year after year could get embarrassing, tedious almost. And that may be happening. Bassist Adam Martin said the band was pulling for other bands this year. "We tried to abstain from running this year, but it didn't work too well," Martin said. "We all voted for other bands. We want to see some of the younger bands get some recognition."

      A nice idea, but seeing as the Whammy Awards are fan-driven, no amount of well placed restraint from a band can repeal its impact on a loyal following. For nearly six years The Freak Brothers (Martin, Dan Mihuc (guitar/vocals), Brandon Rentfrow (sax/guitars/vocals), Adam Rudolph (drums/vocals), Matt Cashdollar (sax/flute/vocals), Dan Cappelli (sax/vocals) and relative newcomers Marcus Farr (trombone) and Kris Miller (keyboards) have bounced all over Northeast Indiana and beyond on a giant ball of funk. And what the band has given out in terms of effort has been returned with equal enthusiasm. Such appreciation is not lost on Martin.

      "Getting nominated still carries the same meaning, the same feeling, every time," Martin said. "The same people who voted for us have made it possible for us to do this."

      The Freak Brothers have a long history of playing together. Several members, including Farr, played in the North Side High School band. Later, a small contingent played in Always in the Fridge, a Motown/funk harbinger of the current band. For Farr, becoming a Freak Brother didn't take much persuasion. Moments after hauling in the Best Funk Whammy Farr said, "I told them to twist my arm when they asked me to join. But really, I'm just in it for the hardware."

      The band is currently taking a break from their usual weekend gig schedule to record an album. (Mark Hunter)

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