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MarchFourth Puts A Funky Twist On Traditional Marching Bands

The band MarchFourth returns to the Belly Up this weekend. The marching band-slash-funk group wants their audiences to dance along with them.

 

When MarchFourth takes the stage, things can get a little crowded. The group tours with four drummers, three horns, a guitarist and three dancers.

Bandleader John Averill said that even with 11 performers in wild costumes, dancing and stomping all over the stage, the group relies on improvisation more than rehearsal.   

“We’ll play a song and someone will do a funny move and the next things you know, everybody copies that move and that’s what they do to that song from then on out. It’s really an organic process,” he said.

Because of all the musicians and the action, Averill said audiences can expect a MarchFourth concert to feel like a celebration.

“We try to create an interactive experience,” he said.

The band’s newest album "Magic Number" was released in 2016.  

 

Contributor Christin Kay is passionate about the rich variety of arts, cultural experiences and stories in the Roaring Fork Valley. She has been a devotee of public radio her whole life. Christin is a veteran of Aspen Public Radio, serving as producer, reporter and interim news director.