Performer Spotlight: Eaton St. Funk

by Eden Holt, Contributing writer

Eaton St. Funk, a Boston based band putting a funky spin on popular hits, had the crowd on its feet on Friday as part of the Friends of Herter Park's inaugural summer performance season.  Playing everything from TLC to the Allman Brothers, from Tina Turner to Stevie Wonder, the young band gave every song a little bit of an Eaton St. spin.  After the show, I had a chance to chat with lead singer and band director, Dylan Levinson:

How did the band get together?
We were all students at Providence College in RI when Jack McShane (key-

boards) was asked to get a group together to put on a show.  Jack approached some of us who had played together in other ensembles and the rest is history.  We've been playing together for about 3 years or so.  We started out having a good time and have continued to grow into the band we are today.
 
How did you get your name, Eaton St. Funk?
Eaton St. is the party street at Providence College senior campus.  As inspired by parties on that street, we, too, are about having a good time.
 
What do you look forward to in a live show?
Connection.  Connection with the band, the music and the audience.  As soon as I see a few people starting to tap their feet or maybe shake it a little in the corner, I know our job is done.  We want to connect with our audience and for everyone to have a good time. 
 
What did you enjoy about playing here at Herter Park?
The venue is special.  It’s big and open and outdoors which is always fun, but at the same time, intimate. It allows for a show where we can connect with our audience. 
 
What music inspires your sound?
Each one of the band members is inspired by a different type of music and sound - anything from hard rock through pop, soul, and of course funk.  We like to play around with sounds and mash-ups.  We usually start with an idea, a song that one of the guys likes, and then play around with sounds to find something that fits.  If it does, that's great, and if not, we scrap it and try something new. 
 
What does the future hold for Eaton St. Funk?
We are now focused on getting more music out there.  We have some music on SoundCloud and are working to publish more in the near future. 
 
Which song would you want to perform live with the original artist?
Tough question, I would love to perform pretty much any song with one of my favorite bands, Fish. ​