Watermelon

Artist Information

Biography

Watermelon is a Funk Rock band stationed in New York City. The band's unique sound is formed from the dynamic interplay of two singers and a driving power trio, producing a sound that has been called raucous rock 'n' roll with a punch of funk and undertones of hip hop. While the band's spirit can be traced to the revelry and comradery of Sly and the Family Stone, the band does not shy away from such diverse influences as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Funkadelic, and Talking Heads. Seeking to break down all barriers with the audience, Watermelon lives for the live experience.

Instrumentation

Alex Stewart - Vocals
Jules Barringer - Vocals
Thomas Griffith - Guitar
Danny Dahan - Bass
David Karr - Drums

Discography

Sleepover
Watermelon EP

Official Website

http://WATERMELONLOVE.com

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Bandcamp
• YouTube

Audio

• YOWWYCH
  Listen  
• Twice
  Listen  
• Shrug It Off
  Listen  
• Drivin'
  Listen  
• Fishes
  Listen  
• Get It
  Listen  
• Cooke
  Listen  
• Fancy Hands
  Listen  

Lyrics

• YOWWYCH
• Twice
• Shrug It Off
• Drivin'
• Fishes
• Get It
• Cooke
• Fancy Hands

Video

Fall Promo - Brooklyn Bowl 9.7.12

Boat Show Montage

Photo Gallery

Press

• The Best Unknown Brooklyn Bands [+ Show ]
  

  Looking for the next MGMT? Watermelon’s neon funk blends classic New York noise like ESG with dynami...Looking for the next MGMT? Watermelon’s neon funk blends classic New York noise like ESG with dynamic call-and-response male/female vocal interplay. The result is Anthony Kiedis falling off the wagon with David Byrne backstage at CBGB in ‘77 before heading over to Max’s for a serious dance party. The pulsing wah-wah guitar of “Go” leaves no questions: Watermelon are here, and they’re ready to get you sweatier than a Le Tigre dance party and a nose full of candy.

• Sleepover Record Review [+ Show ]
  

  This local funk rock band has a fascinating approach to some genre combinations I do not hear often–...This local funk rock band has a fascinating approach to some genre combinations I do not hear often–at least the way they do it. They play funky beat oriented lounge jazz rock, and can take that concept into some bold extremes. There are frequent dual vocal parts for male and female. Imagine Ashford and Simpson working with the Contortions or Arto Lindsay going crazy Eddie Hazel style. This is daring gutsy music that dares to alienate different sides of the equation. I am not sure I would want to hear this every day, but it is a welcome kick in the pants much of the time. I hope they do not lose the jagged edges, for if they were to soften the blows, they would sound like too many other bands. I definitely plan to catch them live again some time soon.
  
  Songs to try out first:
  
  YOWWYCH – You can decide pretty quickly in this opening cut of whether you will get into this. Once the guitarist started wailing away, I was hooked.
  
  Fishes – Good mixture of funk and rock guitar with a strong vocal workout and vibrant pace.
  
  Cooke – A powerful long number with a dramatic build, particularly with the vocals.

• Album Release Show Review: The Fillmore Silver Spring [+ Show ]
  

  It’s aliiiiiive!! Fantastic news, DC denizens, the local music scene lives, despite constant suggest...It’s aliiiiiive!! Fantastic news, DC denizens, the local music scene lives, despite constant suggestion by the rest of the country to the contrary. Saturday night at the Fillmore was a seriously impressive testament to its vivacity, a newborn baby wailing a funk-laden assurance in response to a doctor’s smack on the ass. (Akon should probably be included in this metaphor as well, but it got a little cumbersome.)
  
  …
  
  Watermelon bucked the male-only trend for their five-piece funk outfit, and then triumphantly celebrated the release of their first full-length album, Sleepover. The only band of the evening that I’d seen play before, they started with full-court-press energy; vocalist Stewie was doing push-ups on stage and attempting to incite the crowd… during soundcheck. Their music, however, is perhaps the least immediately accessible of the three bands that had played thus far, with its wall of noise that slaps you across the face while the characters on stage giving you the beating break down in awesomely weird shimmies, sashays, and red-geisha-pantsed donkey kicks. The audience seemed to take in the first few songs in awe before Stewie descended into the crowd to basically demand that they meet his energy. And so they did, turning the set into a beautiful romping mess of bodies and sounds. The easy highlight was “Cooke,” an intricate aural orgasm of a slowdown number that had singer Jules Barringer sounding like Norah Jones, which yielded into “YOWWYCH,” a classic funk powerhouse that showcases the best employment of Watermelon’s dual singer method.
  For the first time in days I forgot that I was sick.

• NEW FUNK MUSIC: WATERMELON [+ Show ]
  

  Can we have some funk? Watermelon has some new funk music that you need to get down to. With some ta...Can we have some funk? Watermelon has some new funk music that you need to get down to. With some tasty bass and poppin’ drums this band really brings the funk. They have one thing in mind, and that is to make you dance.
  
  Playing in the same vein as The Red Hot Chili Peppers and P-Funk (AKA The Parliament Funkadelic, or just plain Parliament), these guys blend rock and funk to make a groovy sound that anyone can dig. Originally from Brooklyn, see Watermelon strut their stuff uptown, downtown, crowned and renowned (as the brilliant Rudy Ray Moore would say) all over NYC.
  
  Watermelon just released their self-titled EP and is available for download, so check it out. Now get up and get down with “Go” from their EP.

• Watermelon - Ramzy & the Brothers Handsome - Rich Mahogany -- Velvet Lounge - Nov 23 2011 [+ Show ]
  

  Watermelon - The 'headliner' from New York is up next and has the same instrumentation, although the...Watermelon - The 'headliner' from New York is up next and has the same instrumentation, although there are male and female vocalists up front. They are locally born and bred for the most part and play here often, although this is the first time I've taken in their set. And it is also in the funk/R&B vein. There are some changes here from what I first heard tonight. First, the twin vocals work extremely well as often is the case. The female lead is the better up-front vocal with great power and control. The male voice is softer but harmonizes well, creating a really rich sound. The instrumentation breathes a bit more and the sounds are livelier. They avoid the trappings of the genre, by branching out a bit into a blues rocker, "Whipping Post" (with a guest guitarist I think--I was way in the back and didn't see the full stage). They also did a cool cover of Led Zeppelin's "What is and What Should Never Be". This is an interesting band that is worth a listen. But if your feet want to move then don't think too hard, just check out their set.

Setlist

12-15 Originals
2-3 Covers

Basic Requirements

Calendar