Filthy Children

I didn't hear much of the music at New West Fest in Ft. Collins, but I did catch most of Filthy Children's set at the ..Old Town Square.. stage. As we sat on Coopersmith's back patio for dinner and beers, we got an earful of some serious, horny funk. The volume was kicking. It was loud enough to overwhelm conversation, but sweet to the feet.

Looking at their website, I see that Filthy Children bill themselves as funk/jazz/rock, name dropping groups like Greyboy Allstars and John Schifield. Most of the material didn't quite push the edge that ..Karl Denson.. and others pass. Maybe they were trying to rein things in for this crowd. If so, the audience was ok with it: even on the outskirts, people were bopping to the beat and the front of the stage was open for dancing.

Overall, the focus was on dance oriented, straight funk. The first couple of pieces I heard were tightly orchestrated funk, with a tip of the hat to James Brown. When Jenny ..Anderson.. sang, it reminded me a lot of Spacefish, a defunct jam band group from the '90s.

They did push a little bit of jazz on a couple of numbers with the horns and guitar teaming up to play some chromatic chord riffs. One song, My Baby Got, reworked of Blood, Sweat, and Tears' Spinning Wheel. They also covered Use Me by Bill Withers, nailing a slower blues funk groove. Still the emphasis was mostly on danceable funk. The bass popped and growled and the horns drove most of the tunes. The drums were solid and the guitar mostly supported the groove. A number of the songs were instrumentals, but when the vocals were there, they were expressive and fun. On the dance funk sound, Anderson just about channeled Dee-Lite, with her laid back, sexy voice.

I'm looking forward to catching Filthy Children at a club sometime. The cask conditioned Hoppy Brown Ale I had matched well with the jams: complex and rewarding. - .

Bohemian Nights Review
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Filthy Children Get Down and Dirty
August 4, 2009
filthynewFilthy Children are an institution in Colorado funk and local music. They’ve been on the scene for over ten years and despite a major lineup change, they’re back on top of their game and ready to get yo booty on the dance floor at Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest.
filthy bI first had the pleasure of meeting these guys and gal about ten years ago. They were absolutely amazing on stage. I was blown away by their horn section, which boasted 4 pieces and played tight. I was equally blown away by their frontwoman, Micah. She was tiny, but could belt out some soul with the best of them. The whole package was dynamic and full of chemistry.
filthy hornsOff stage they were hilarious. How could they not be with 8 people in the band?!? I always felt that their sense of humor really shone on their debut album, which was appropriately titled Knocked Up. Micah was pregnant and the album was a tribute to her baby, with the album art featuring her pregnant belly. Knocked Up has some really great funk songs, with some really funny lyrics. If you can find a copy, check out Butter.
filthymicahThe album and their awesome music kept them at the top of the local music scene, where they were named “Best Funk” in numerous publications and readers polls. Through this, Micah remained a great mother. Her son was at all of their outdoor shows, cheering Mom on from the front row, usually in his “My Mom Rocks” t-shirt. It came as no surprise that when she found out she was pregnant with her second child that she decided to leave the band and focus on her family. I truly thought that would be the end of the group. All of the guys are terrific, but she really had something special and I couldn’t imagine them without her.
filthyjennyHowever, with Micah’s blessing, the group auditioned different frontwoman and found Jenny Anderson. Actually last year at Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest, as I was volunteering at the Kids Music Adventure, I ran into Micah and her family. They were out enjoying the day and she had told me that Filthy Children had found her replacement. And as sad as she was to be going, she was extremely happy for them to be able to keep making music. She stressed how much she really like Jenny as a person to fit in with the band she created, but also how much she enjoyed her voice and her stage presence. How right she was! Jenny has fit right in and blown new life into the band.
filthylaundryFilthy Children have had an incredible year and are one of the bands I’m most looking forward to seeing at this year’s festival. They’ll be on the ..Old Town Square.. Stage Saturday August 15th at 6:45 PM. Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/filthychildren There is video available featuring both leading ladies. I still recommend tracking down a copy of Butter.
~Greta Cornett on behalf of Bohemian Nights
- Bohemian Nights

"This fun old school meets new school funk...will burn down the house"-Colorado Daily

" - Colorado Daily

"Jumpin' horns, catchy rhythm and soulful vocals"-Colorado Musicbuzz Magazine

- Colorado Musicbuzz Magazine

"Filthy Children is Denver's great young band, combining superior musicality and crowd connection. Our entire staff looks forward to every show."
-Laura Newman, Herb's Hideout
Owner and Musician
- Filthy Children