Tintern Abbey brings funk, folk music

Jenny Appleby, bassist for Tintern Abbey, growled into the microphone midway through the band's three-set performance Thursday at Kilroy's Sports, "You have lost all your clothes, but you can keep your hat on." His words summarized an evening of music that defied a classification into one genre. \nTintern Abbey played a balance of funk flavored with folk, throwing in covers along with its own original mix. \nThe tone of the night was in a constant change as the band rolled out songs worthy of the funk era, swinging with some Motown bounce, often followed by coffee shop-worthy acoustic ballads. \nTintern Abbey's "Shine," "Believe," "Flood" and "Rosa Lee" were interwoven with slower covers "All Along the Watchtower," "Aeroplane" and "Margaritaville."\n"The bass player's got some nice funk, and I like how they harmonize," said Mark Hendricks, an employee at Sports, 319 N. Walnut St.\nThe funk was definitely the crowd favorite as numerous dancers filled the floor upon hearing Tintern Abbey's opener "Shine."\n"I like when they get the really funky beats," said senior Sarah Boyle, one of the first out on the dance floor. \nThe band continued, playing mostly speed-driven funk while still playing classic songs like "Magic Carpet Ride" to the packed house, such as at Kilroy's Sports Bar.\n"The crowd looks pretty buzzing," said Appleby after finishing one of Tintern Abbey's funk-filled sets, which kept the crowd interested with drummer David Golden's solid rhythmic performance. Singer Alex Shaurette referred to Golden as "the Golden Child."\nPianist Kevin Rose, who provided an energetic performance, at one point stopped dancing in his place on stage and jumped in the crowd and danced with the fans.\n"I didn't have much to play at that part of the song, so I just went for it," Rose said. \nAs the night progressed, Tintern Abbey tried a bit of comedy as Shaurette announced it was "time to meet a random audience member," at which point they interviewed a member of the crowd. The band's version of funk seemed to keep the crowd interested through most of the night, though its slower, almost folk-style tunes would fit better in a coffee house. \nAt one point, a waitress slapped a sticker distributed by the band on her stomach, signifying the band left its mark with her and a new set of fans in the Bloomington community. \n"How can I believe that old philosophy," Shaurette sung in "Believe," solidifying Tintern Abbey as a band determined on creating a new style of music.