Members of Muffington open up for Hobo Monk in the Red Room at Beer 30. Kenny Thompson/The Bulletin

The experimental bands Hobo Monk and Muffington played in the Beer:30 Red Room on Saturday.

“You have to respect Hobo Monk for going out of the bounds of most music,” said Rodney Jones, sophomore earth science major. “It’s a really unique sound like nothing I have really heard before.”

The show began with the band Muffington, which was formed by Emporia State students living on the fifth floor of South Towers in 2007.

“Most of us were on the same floor, and we were music majors,” said Tyler Stephens, guitarist for Muffington and former ESU student. “This whole thing is just about jamming in the end.”

Stephens is the son of the keyboardist for Hobo Monk, and the two decided to do one last show before the both of them travel back to Ohio, Stephens said.

“My dad lives in Ohio and I am moving back with him,” Stephens said. “Hobo Monk is made up of my dad’s friends from Ohio.”

Muffington’s set list included songs with guest bassist and Beer:30 co-owner Josh Olsen.

“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.

Olsen stepping in as bass player was all the more surprising when he had no part in writing the songs or practicing them for any extended period of time.

“My main job around here is booking shows and trying to bring in out of town bands,” Olsen said. “It’s a really good time having these guys play out here.”

The closing songs of Muffington included a saxophone and a Grateful Dead cover song. The finger picking style, along with the dual guitar players, provided a jazz and Indie music inspired amalgamation.

“We’re just kind of an Indie jam band,” Stephens said. “We are absolutely happy to be part of the local music scene, and everybody should come out to Beer 30 every weekend to check out local bands.”

Following directly after was the band Hobo Monk from Ohio. The band incorporated bongo drums, psychedelic videos that played partially on the ceiling above the band and a pipe that produced a sound similar to the didgeridoo.

“It’s pretty psychedelic,” Jones said. “It may be similar to Pink Floyd or Jethro Tull, but I feel like I don’t even need to do drugs to appreciate it since it’s so trippy.”

Despite the psychedelic sound of the band, they were still accessible, according to the reaction from audience members.

“I came here to see some live music,” said Krista Heller, senior pre-art therapy major. “I really enjoy [Hobo Monk], their keyboards sound great.”

The concerts at Beer:30 continue this weekend with HaHa Tonka.

“The live music is one of the things I love about this bar,” Heller said. “I think if there’s any place for live music in Emporia, it’s Beer:30.”

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