Sprouting from Portland, OR they kicked off the show in an almost eerie what is going on kind of way. Smoke machines filled the top hat to its max before totally unexpected purple rays of light scattered the dance floor, in a way it was very spaceship like. Blast off/Dance off!!!!!!!

As I have seen in many young jam bands throughout my young musical journeys the first few minutes are to me as expected a little hard to follow and hear what is going on, but the great thing about jam bands is that they figure it out before you know it and figure the crowd out as well. This seemed to happen right on cue, and just then you were getting sucked in closer to stage to get your groove on. They seem to have a natural knack for performing, changing set-lists show to show, transitioning into song after song with no break and just doing what they love playing music. Then you have saxophone/flute vs. electric guitar jam battles, funk piano, bass lines & drums that keep it to the original funk to keep you moving, female and male vocalists, a lead singer that catches your eye, and lights transitioning almost to perfection on musical changes; add all this up and it without a doubt equals jammy space funk. Do not expect your average old school dancing funk sound with
this group. When you do go watch them go in with an open mind and an idea that this group is as innovative as it comes in the music
industry.

What I enjoyed most about MRU is that you get lost in the lights and listening to them just play their instruments that you don’t
even know what song is being played and you don’t care. All you do know is that you don’t want them to stop because the sound is gripping. This band has talent in all areas and they bring a different kind of funk/jam sound that is original and just plain out there yet exactly where they need to be. Well played MRU, well played!!!!!

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It’s hard to describe or even imagine what music would sound like if you put it into a genre called jammy space funk. I had only dreamed of such sounds and images until Mars Retrieval Unit came to town to show me what it is all about, and how could you not trust a funk band with that name. I went into this show only have listened to a few songs on the album “Two Sides”, and also watching a few youtube clips to get a feel. They had proven enough for me to go watch and check them out. However, it was nothing like I heard from the album or saw on youtube it was better in every way possible.