With the rain coming down on Friday evening, the feel-good vibes were being turned up within the confines of Woodland’s Tavern in Columbus.

Inside, the air was filled with the funkified groove of Columbus’ Love Alive, as they celebrated the release of their latest EP, “Hold Your Tongue.” Mister Moon and Cosmosis got the crowd juiced for the main event.

Ed. – We reviewed “Hold Your Tongue” previously, which you can read HERE

Love Alive getting funky at Woodland’s Tavern on Friday. (Credit: J Courtney / Music in Motion Columbus)

The band is comprised of David Lurie (guitar/vocals), Chase Finley (lead guitar), Hayden Huffman (saxophone), Nate Labine (bass), Kevin Hagans (keyboards/violin) and Billy Carrick (drums). They combine elements of funk, jazz, blues, rock and psychedelia into their music, melding the disparate parts into a sonic tour de force.

Pledging a live show full of energy, they delivered on that promise from the very first note of their 11-song set, providing a rich and layered texture of sound that was pleasant to the ears.

The funky and upbeat Cold Duck set the tone for their portion of the evening, showcasing throughout the entirety of the song that they are a tight band. Huffman even got a bit risqué with a little dirty sax play. In a word, it was wonderful.

Kevin Hagans was in the groove on Friday evening.
(Credit: J Courtney / Music in Motion Columbus)

With Huffman coaxing sexy sounds from his sax, they slowed the tempo down a touch with Buried in the Sand, from the new EP. Labine carried a funky, yet understated groove on the bass, with Lurie’s vocals securely in the pocket as he opined, “I can fly as high as the moon…”

The temperature within the room immediately began climbing as the aurally tasty I’m Still Here assaulted our senses. The combination of rock, blues and funk that was woven into the fabric of the tune made toes start tapping throughout the audience. Hagans’ work on the keyboards set the band up for an extended musical journey, in which all individuals were showcased.

With the crowd paying rapt attention, the band transitioned directly into the solid groove of Beastly. The instrumental harkened back to an 1970’s P-Funk vibe, with many in the crowd moving to the groove.

Slowing the pace down a notch, they serenaded us with the mellow flow of Debra. At times throughout the tune, Lurie amazingly sounded like Prince, sprinkled with a liberal dose of Leo Sayer, for good measure.

Chase Finley and David Lurie sending out the energy…
(Credit: J Courtney / Music in Motion Columbus)

The rock and blues-infused Paralyzed, from the new EP, was up next. Layered within the rock and blues infusion, there was a midtempo funk groove peeking out from varying points in the song.

They kept the pace at the same level, as they launched into another track from their latest effort with What You Wish For. Huffman was, once again, front-and-center with excellent saxophone stylings that punctuated the number in just the right way.

With Lurie’s vocals full of the emotion brought forth by the song, Hagans played some very wonderful, if sonically understated violin. It was one of those moments that if you weren’t paying attention, it was easy to miss.

Nate Labine in the pocket and feeling good…
(Credit: J Courtney / Music in Motion Columbus)

Slowing things down a bit, the band got in a funky groove on Sugar. The waves floating from the saxophone sounded like Huffman wanted to get a little dirty with the notes, again. The song was transformative, making one feel as though they could be in a smoky nightclub in New Orleans, Chicago or New York City. The melodic vocals from Lurie were, at times, luxurious.

The band invited Trevor Edge to the stage for the next number, Mask. With a guitar slung over his shoulder, he jumped in at various times with nice little flourishes that fit within the funky, chugging groove. With the audience swaying and dancing to the music, each member had a short solo, showcasing their talents.

Hayden Huffman tooted out some dirty notes with the sax…
(Credit: J Courtney / Music in Motion Columbus)

As soon as the final note sounded, the band invited Seth Bain, of Mister Moon, back to stage to join them on keyboards for Chicken. “This next song is one of my favorites,” Lurie announced before they waded into the slower, spacey groove. The tune had a mellowness to it that was underscored by some slightly eerie bass tones from Labine.

Although it’s a good tune and the spacey vibe added texture, the song became almost too busy, at times. It was a valiant effort, gentlemen. But, the execution didn’t live up to the rest of the set.

They put a cap on the evening, close to 1 a.m., with the upbeat, funky groove of Long Way From The End. With rock undertones accompanying the funk, they conjured a carnival ride-like vibe, adding to the merriment of the audience. The song picked up in both intensity and pace as it rocketed toward its climax.

At its conclusion, Lurie simply stated, “Thank you guys so much.” And with that, their set was over and the house lights came on.

All-in-all, it was a nicely energetic set that showcased the musical talent of the band in a way that does not come across on the EP. Love Alive is well worth your time, guaranteeing that you’ll leave with a contented smile on your face.

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Setlist

1. Cold Duck
2. Buried in the Sand
3. I’m Still Here
4. Beastly
5. Debra
6. Paralyzed
7. What You Wish For
8. Sugar
9. Mask
10. Chicken
11. Long Way From The End

Love Alive – I’m Still Here