Local musicians Muffington are planning to rock the halls of Beer:30 with their reunited group tomorrow, with Stacy Kumberg opening for them.
“We haven’t had Tyler Stephens, our rhythm guitarist, for a few weeks,” said Riley Day, junior music education major. “He’s coming back from Ohio to practice with us this Wednesday, so that’ll be very refreshing.”
Muffington, an experimental rock band made up of students from fifth floor South Towers dormitories at Emporia State, has been in the Emporia music scene for over two years now.
“The local music scene is a tight knit group,” said Glenn Woolard, junior percussion performance major. “We owe a lot to the guys at Flint Hills music.”
The group’s distinctive style combines elements of jazz, reggae and alternative rock. At previous shows, they’ve covered Grateful Dead songs and Beatles songs.
Stephens, former ESU student and guitarist for Muffington, had left the group to go back to Ohio with his father for a time, but is returning to play with the group for the show this Friday.
“My dad lives in Ohio and I am moving back with him,” Stephens said in a previous interview. “Hobo Monk is made up of my dad’s friends from Ohio.”
Part of the group’s goals for the reunion is to practice together for a tour that would include Kansas City and Ohio.
“Our plan is to go up to Ohio where Tyler’s dad has some connections to make a CD,” Woolard said. “After we get our CD out, we can fund our tour, or use the money so we don’t have to eat virtually nothing.”
This summer is going to be integral in the band’s growth, Day said.
“We’ll hopefully get our CD made this summer,” Woolard said. “Then maybe we’ll be able to get to Lawrence, Ohio, or Kansas City.”
The band attributes its success largely to the collaboration it has had with Josh and Jared Olsen, owners of Beer:30, particularly with Josh’s volunteering to play bass.
“We wouldn’t be anywhere without them,” Woolard said. “They’re awesome guys, and they’ve helped us out ever since the open-mic night.”
In a prior interview, Josh Olsen conveyed his enjoyment at being invited to play with Muffington, and described how he believed the local music scene was trying to grow.
“I’ve been friends with them for a while, and they needed a bass player for some songs,” Olsen said. “I think the local music scene is trying to grow.”
The concert at Beer:30 starts at 10:30 p.m. with Kumberg and Muffington’s keyboardist Greg “Greenhorn” Drummond performing together.
“Drummond is a great keyboardist, and he is a baller,” Day said. “Also, everybody should watch Stacy open, since she has such a beautiful voice. After that we come on around midnight, and get to play after everybody’s had a few drinks.”
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