Freak Motif

Freak Motif met for a jam session in the summer of 2009, took off on a spontaneous parade, and haven’t stopped jamming since.

They started performing sets of 100% improvised music, drawing influence from <a href="spotify:artist:1PryMSya1JnSAlcwYawCxp" data-name="Menahan Street Band">Menahan Street Band</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5wbIWUzTPuTxTyG6ouQKqz" data-name="Phish">Phish</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:25KNo5GDS6ZpLkjasaecA3" data-name="Thievery Corporation">Thievery Corporation</a>, and the energy of their audience. Those early shows led to the recording of their first album <a href="spotify:album:5LaGY9T70DjJIc27ARnqwS" data-name="La Casa Blanca">La Casa Blanca</a>, their EP <a href="spotify:album:4kF8neTYxi9CBDdrCcxE3I" data-name="Across the Nation">Across the Nation</a>, and a 7” funk 45 <a href="spotify:album:4L7jExqn9TuVbVUkED90xZ" data-name="Killin' Me (45 Single) [feat. Lady C] - Single">Killin' Me (45 Single) [feat. Lady C] - Single</a>.

“Modern funk of the very highest caliber” - Craig Charles, BBC

Based in Calgary and Montreal, Canada, the Freaks released <a href="spotify:album:7o2Gbwzu4KyKyArhn6Zu4R" data-name="Hot Plate">Hot Plate</a> in 2019, their 2nd full length album on red hot red vinyl. The album hit top 10 nationwide and #1 on CJSW.

8 groove heavy tracks, from afrobeat to disco to four on the floor trance to cinematic soul, featuring members of <a href="spotify:artist:4XMc1qHObZ7aXQrH5MmbjK" data-name="Busty and the Bass">Busty and the Bass</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0MiCOT2cVYso39XSskiUUo" data-name="The Souljazz Orchestra">The Souljazz Orchestra</a>. and Toronto based singer <a href="spotify:artist:7p8KeKcxVehQvpYfzY5MCz" data-name="Lady C">Lady C</a>.

&quot;It’s heady, body-moving s*** that’ll get you up and on and off the floor, son.&quot; - YYSCENE

The Freaks bring the spirit of their first parade to everything they do, and have shared the stage with <a href="spotify:artist:34BHw3ZxeQsZ2yYxoummp7" data-name="Five Alarm Funk">Five Alarm Funk</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:24OmLPZEq6dYiGJbPCAFVm" data-name="the Garifuna Collective">the Garifuna Collective</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2KGF6IKZfVGCKfyqcNVGfh" data-name="Antibalas">Antibalas</a>.

Performance highlights include the Victoria Ska Festival, Red Truck Concert Series, Cirque de la Nuit, and Calgary Folk Festival.