____________ I Live Music: Soulive 2011.10.06 University of Miami Maurice Gusman Concert Hall Miami, FL

Marked only by a slight drop in temperature, the Fall season in South Florida is made official when the music climate changes on the peninsula. The weeks before and after Bear Creek Music Festival are saturated by the best and brightest of the jazz, funk and fusion scenes starting and ending runs up and down the state. This year the groove gods brought us an decadent sample of things to come. New York-based Soulive came to the flagship academic institution of Magic City, the University of Miami, after a self-proclaimed "rager" in Chicago on the first of the month. The globe trotting power-funk trio continues on from here to Sedona, New York City and Boston.

Soulive | Maurice Gusman Concert Hall

The uber-plush Maurice Gusman Concert Hall, housed at the Frost School of Music, had an almost academic pre-lecture vibe before the show. The crowd of sleek suited-up socialites and casual funk enthusiasts made for an interesting, if not subdued, scene. That would quickly change.

Eric Krasno of Soulive | Maurice Gusman Concert Hall

A "Uncle Junior" opener came right out of it, both strong and tight sounding. They were playing for the music school figure heads and funk addicts alike. Heads were bobbing from the tops of seats, yet there was a general hesitation to attract too much attention in the seemingly cordial auditory expose. The energy coming off Eric Krasno's guitar had other thoughts, and it was contagiously spreading to a few adventurous souls. They moved to the aisles to dance on the fringes of the theater. That slowly built into a full on dance party in the floor section in front of the stage. Security did not seem to mind and that is how things remained for the duration of the show.

Soulive | Maurice Gusman Concert Hall

After a couple hoppin' originals - "Rudy's Way" and "Turn It Out," the Hammond B3 organ extraordinaire Neal Evans was given a chance to take the reigns for a series of Beatles covers from the band's 2011 release Rubber Soulive. Think Beatles porno funk executed better than you thought it could be done. A particularly reaching "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" ended the medley before dipping into Stevie Ray Vaughn's discography with "Lenny." A quick pause and it was back on track with originals. A hornless rendition of "Flurries" proceeded "El Ron," and a set closer of "Tuesday Night Squad" that allowed Krasno to flex his technical guitar tones to the max.

Soulive | Setlist for 2011.10.06

The crowd was visibly elated and vocalizing their praises. As quickly as they moved off the stage, the guys were back for an extended encore. Alan Evans broke the rhythm section down during "One In Seven" and launched into an explosive drum solo that left the crowd silent. As the band fed back into the outro, there was a heavy silence before a standing ovation for the funksters while they bowed out.

Following the show the Cheesehead Productions crew caught up with the band for an on-site interview. Check out our very own Travis Acker leading the discussion here: