Many have a hard time leaving Athens and the friendships made here, and luckily for devoted fans, the psychedelic funk group Elemental Groove Theory isn’t quite ready to let go just yet.
“It’s weird to go from spending every day in a town to just not seeing it at all,” said Mike Brokamp, keyboardist for the band. “I don’t even know if I would consider the place I grew up as my home anymore. Athens shaped me into the person I am today.”
After going on hiatus in 2012, the band, comprised entirely of OU graduates, will come together once again at Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery, 24 W. Union St., and will perform alongside Athens-based rock group The Burning River Ramblers.
The purpose of the reunion is to celebrate the birthdays of two important members of the “EGT family” — Kristin Franks, the wife of the band’s saxophonist Kyle Slemmer, and Spencer Reichley, Elemental Groove Theory’s merchandise manager.
Matt Urminski, bassist for the group, said that both of these individuals have become honorary members for their dedication to the band and coming to nearly
every show.
“Between these two members in particular, there are few fans that are as deserving of a show devoted to them as these two,” Urminski said. “So we all coordinated our schedules to play the new album and come together for what we are calling the EGT Family Reunion.”
The reunion even includes the band’s parents and relatives who have also grown to love the band and the players, Reichley said. He added that he and Franks couldn’t wish for a better birthday present.
Since going on hiatus, Urminski has joined the Columbus group MojoFlo and has had the opportunity to feature the other members of Elemental Groove Theory on shows during their tour in Ohio, Louisiana and Texas.
Trumpet player Dustin Bastin will even be traveling from San Antonio, T.X., to play with his old-time Athens buddies.
“It’s a big pilgrimage for much of the band,” Urminski said. “We want to revisit bar favorites and fan favorites. … It’ll mostly be the songs we miss playing together.”
wh092010@ohiou.edu
