Eugene Salaz holds a poster for the sixth annual CeleFunktion. Salaz, of Durango Massive Productions, is producing the show, which includes local, state and national acts at various venues across town. Music kicked off Wednesday and goes through Saturday./Photo by Jennaye Derge

Funky Town

CeleFunktion becoming Durango's annual rite of spring

by Zach Hively

The equinox isn’t the only event knocking on Durango’s door this weekend. National and local musicians are converging on downtown for the sixth annual CeleFunktion festival. The emerging tradition runs now through Saturday night.

As the name suggests, funk music lays the foundation of CeleFunktion. Think of James Brown’s morphed musical offspring, half a dozen generations removed. In all forms of this jazz- and soul-inspired genre, rhythmic grooves entice your body to boogie. And this week’s performers are as diverse as funk’s surprising and innovative iterations themselves.

From the grungy Americana of the Lawn Chair Kings to the Grateful Dead-like jams of teen talent Jaden Carlson, variety flavors the event, according to organizer Eugene Salaz, of Durango Massive Productions. “Anybody who loves funk music, or who loves good music, should try it all,” he says.

The headliners include Euforquestra, The Main Squeeze and CeleFunktion veterans Fort Knox Five, among others. Fans can also catch local favorites Sky Pilot, Diabolical Sound Platoon, Benjamin K, Elder Grown, Juicy Money and Ace Revel.

Where other music festivals in the area center around outdoor stages, CeleFunktion brings the happenings into intimate indoor settings. This means more than stashing your tent and buckets of sunburn-soothing aloe vera – by hosting the shows indoors, the festival showcases Durango’s independent music venues.

This year, the Animas City Theater, Balcony Backstage, Moe’s, El Rancho, Eno, and BREW Pub & Kitchen are hosting shows. Salaz believes such a variety of locations sets Durango apart from the rest of Colorado. With so many distinct stages, he says, “We shouldn’t have to go anywhere else for music.”

CeleFunktion began five years ago as a hilaria commemorating quality music and the changing of the season. Its dates still align as closely as possible with the vernal equinox. And the festival remains true to these celebratory roots, as much as it expands each year onto more stages and deep into more nights.

Washington, D.C.-based Fort Knox Five closes things  out Saturday night at the ACT./Courtesy photo

And CeleFunktion’s reputation keeps evolving, too. Salaz is continually amazed by the response from artists who want to perform at the festival. In fact, he has booked enough musicians that many of the shows run simultaneously, jam-packing downtown for four nights. Concertgoers who want to catch every act will have to stage-crawl – which is precisely the interconnected atmosphere Salaz dreams of.

CeleFunktion is a big undertaking in its own right, yet it is ultimately just one facet of Salaz’s designs for cultivating a serious music hub. Durango already boasts a healthy appetite for music. Salaz points to the live music available every night of the week, the work of the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis, and the range of multi-stage events from the Bluegrass Meltdown to the Celtic Festival. And through Salaz’s work with Durango Massive Productions, the existing music scene may be ripe for a growth spurt.

Durango Massive produces performance events throughout the year to increase the availability of original music. And even though Salaz is in charge, he envisions the company as an inclusive endeavor. “In my line,” he explains, “‘massive” is what we call a community.” Thus, everyone involved in a show becomes part of the Durango Massive collective.

This philosophy also propels local musicians. Acts gain career traction when they earn billing at reputable, well-attended concerts – yes, even musicians have résumés. This increases their regional and national exposure. A cycle emerges wherein fans and musicians reciprocate the energy they give each other.

Salaz understands that a music scene extends beyond just gigs, though. Ideally, everyone benefits in a truly thriving scene, with artists, individuals and businesses supporting each other. Independent local events like CeleFunktion fuel the community economy one concert – even one ticket – at a time.

But attending concerts just to participate in local economics is a lot like eating ice cream for the calcium. It misses the entire point. The real reasons for checking out CeleFunktion, says Salaz, are simple: “celebrate the changing of the seasons, enjoy funk music in multiple venues, and support musicians.”

Fort Collins’ Euforquestra headlines the action with shows at the ACT on Thursday and Friday nights./Courtesy photo

And indeed, adults of all bedtimes can participate in the festivities. The events start at 6 o’clock tonight, 6 p.m. on Friday, and 12:30 p.m. on an overflowing Saturday.

You can see local performers at no-cover venues; for other shows, you need to buy a ticket. Alternately, single-day and all-day VIP passes are also available. According to Salaz, these passes are the best bargain, as they guarantee admission to every show and feature significant drink discounts at all venues.

Whatever your budget, CeleFunktion invites you to join the massive as it strengthens Durango’s reputation for great music on local stages. The intimate shows and the groovin’ tunes promise concertgoers a chance, in Salaz’s words, at “a memory that holds on forever.”

Many events, including all local musicians, are free of charge. Single-show tickets are available at Southwest Sound, and VIP passes are available only on Thursday through the Durango Massive website. VIP passes include guaranteed admission to all shows, an event poster, and drink discounts. Performances at the Animas City Theater and BREW are 18+, and all other venues are 21+.