Con Brio is a living, evolving testament to the power of soul. Propelled by the young phenom Ziek McCarter – a charismatic, undeniably gifted showman – Con Brio’s sound draws a clear lineage from the dance-heavy funk legacies of legends like Sly & the Family Stone and James Brown, while keeping an eye on R&B trailblazers like D’Angelo and Prince and a focus firmly on the future.

Based in San Francisco and named after a musical direction meaning “with spirit”, Con Brio has a relentless drive for experimentation, for pushing their high technical ability higher, for reaching beyond the familiar. The resulting dynamic fuses pulsating rhythms, blazing guitar-work, soaring horns, the warm peal of a Hammond organ, and shimmering, sultry vocals with an unforgettable stage presence and seemingly limitless energy: altogether it’s one hell of a party.

KP and the Boom Boom formed in the fall of 2010 in Austin, TX. They made major waves around town in 2013, releasing a three-track EP produced by AJ Vallejo, debuting a music video for their single, “Feel It,” and stirring up buzz with a multitude of high-energy performances.

Come see a show and you’ll realize why the band has garnered such a strong following. Frontwoman Kate Priestley sparkles with energy at center stage. Surrounding her, her six bandmates command a critical mass of instruments—in addition to guitar, bass, and drums, there are two members blowing on horns and another switching off between a vibraphone, timbales, bongos, congas, and other assorted percussion. The crowd hugs the stage, pulsing to a singular groove.

Inevitably, your feet start to move and the scene pulls you in. Within the sweaty depths of the dance mob, what started as a spectacle starts to feel more like a happening.