Funky Monks plays at the Bluebird

Bassist Jeff Genualdi walked to the edge of the stage, beer in hand. He raised his right arm high in the air.

“Cheers, Bloomington,” he said as the audience raised their drinks in response.
Genualdi and his Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band, the Funky Monks, are no strangers to Bloomington. Feb. 8 marked the band’s 25th show at the Bluebird Nightclub, Genualdi said.

“It’s like coming home, coming here,” Genualdi said to the audience during the band’s set.

Though the band is based in the Chicago area, Genualdi said the Bluebird is “our most visited stop ever.”

Fans lined the stage and back seating as early as 11 p.m., about an hour before the Funky Monks took the stage.

Among the audience members was junior Clay Hicks, who arrived at 10 p.m. to secure front-row spots for his friends. He said this was his first Funky Monks concert.
“I’ve been a Red Hot Chili Peppers fan forever,” he said, showing the band’s asterisk logo tattoo on his right arm. “I thought I’d come check it out.”

Genualdi said he formed the Funky Monks in 2003 out of pure love for the Chili Peppers’ music. Since then, the band has learned more than 80 songs, including radio hits and covers from bands that inspired the Chili Peppers, such as the Ramones.
“The toughest thing about this band is deciding which songs not to play,” Genualdi said onstage. “We don’t have time to play them all.”

The concert, which lasted approximately two hours, included songs from more recent Red Hot Chili Peppers albums, as well as famous hits like “Snow,” “Dani California,” “Can’t Stop,” “Scar Tissue” and “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie.”
Audience members sang along, bobbed their heads and waved their arms to each tune.

Senior Max Victor, sporting a yellow and blue “RHCP 83” jersey, knew the words to most of the songs.

“I’ve been a huge Chili Peppers fan since high school,” he said.
Singer Ryan Machnica gave Victor a shout-out during the show.
“I see you in the jersey,” Machnica said, pointing to Victor.

Victor said the Funky Monks’ audience interaction and stage presence is what he likes best about the band. He said he’s seen the real Red Hot Chili Peppers twice and the Funky Monks three times — and said he thinks the Funky Monks have more energy than the original band.

“After a song is over, it gets pretty overwhelming,” Machnica said. “It gets us pumped.”
“They’re awesome,” senior Laci Craven said. “They’re the closest to the Red Hot Chili Peppers you can get. They put on a great show.”

With each song, Machnica jumped around and the audience followed suit. He even took a few drinks with fans as if they were old friends.
But to Genualdi, he says the fans are friends.

“We usually get a really good response,” he said. “It’s always worth the trip here.”
The Funky Monks have performed other venues and events in Bloomington, including the IU Dance Marathon.

“It’s a great cause,” he said. “We’d love to do it again.”

But for now, the Bluebird remains a home away from home, Machinca said.
“We can always count on a good time here,” he said. “It’s one of our favorite places to be.”