Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings are recent legends and have become one of KEXP's core artists. The band, and the Daptones label that it represents, were the main force behind the soul funk revival of the last fifteen years, the stylistic rebirth that bands ranging from The Alabama Shakes to The Budos Band have ridden to superstardom. It was an honor for us to have Sharon and the bank help us kick off KEXP's New Home Grand Opening.
Stylistically, they have the broadest appeal - everyone can get down to a full horn section with backing singers - but The Dap Kings are another great reminder that being family friendly doesn't necessarily mean things are dumbed down. The band was tight, and when Sharon almost unfairly conjured the spirit of Louie Armstrong and demanded her trumpet player bring it, the wailing horn brought cheers through the crowd.
Maybe it was the sun shining on the outdoor stage, but the dancing was particularly intense, and fans of all ages joyfully knocked each other around as they were shuffling and swinging.
They covered Gladys Knight & The Pips' famous "Every Beat of My Heart," which included a history lesson as Sharon explained that Gladys had only been 18 when she recorded the track - she was met with laughter when she told us "I'm gonna try to sound 18 when I sing, ok?" Sharon can sing to us at any age.
At 7PM during KEXP's New Home Grand Opening, we were blessed with a magic hour: the sun had passed behind our wall but the dusk was still light. A crowd of fans spilled out into the courtyard from having just witnessed Hey Marseilles in the standing room only Gathering Space of KEXP. Now, they coul…
Hey Marseilles are another band that feel close to the KEXP DNA - a group of Seattle boys that developed a sound quite unlike anything else coming out of our city, they've brought their talent through our studio before, so they were a perfect band to fit into a day of celebrating both our past and…
