Funk-inspired indie band performs at The Cabin

Filthy Animals performed Friday night

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Photo by Emilee Wentland

Filthy Animals, dressed in their Halloween costumes, performed Friday night at The Cabin.

Filthy Animals proved to be just as intriguing as their name when they performed at The Cabin Friday night.

The indie, funk-inspired band played for about two hours Friday night. Their retro vibes, wide vocal range and consistently upbeat songs made for a lively show.

Filthy Animals, formed in 2013 in St. Paul, Minnesota, consists of four members: lead singer Jake Eisenbeis, lead guitarist Andy Lorenz, bassist Ross Hackenmiller and drummer Josh Dietsche.

Their music was upbeat and guitar-oriented with several songs consisting of long instrumental sections. Eisenbeis’ gruff, raw voice, uncommon in a lot of today’s music, brought a fresh sound to The Cabin.

Eisenbeis said they enjoy playing songs they can rock out to. The band members each agreed they like performing their songs “When I Wake” and “The Sea.” However, they also enjoy playing new songs fans have yet to hear.

“Those are the most fun – the new stuff that we’re playing – because we’re always progressing and moving forward,” Eisenbeis said. “The most interesting things are always the newest things.”

The audience was head-bobbing and foot-tapping along to the beat of the music throughout the night.

UW-Eau Claire students Julia Kocen, a physics and Spanish student, and Emily Witt, a biology student, both attended the show Friday night. They each agreed their favorite part was when Filthy Animals covered “Little Birdie” by Vince Guaraldi from Charlie Brown.

Witt also said the band’s facial expressions and mannerisms proved they’re passionate about their music. Between songs, the band members would even crack jokes with each other and sometimes with the audience.

In spirit of Halloween weekend, the band dressed as Team Zissou from “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” a 2004 adventure movie starring Bill Murray. Each sported a red beanie as well as a blue shirt.

All of the members contribute to the writing process for the band’s songs. The process is very collaborative, Eisenbeis said.

“A lot of the time myself, or whoever is writing the song, will come to the group with sort of a ‘skeleton’ of a song, and then we’ll fill in the ‘meat’ from there,” he said.

Filthy Animals released a new EP, “Tops is Tops,” in September, but they’re also currently working on new music as well. They’re good about writing songs frequently and always having new ones they can record, Eisenbeis said.

“If anything, we’re afraid of having too many songs (and) not being able to record them all,” Hackenmiller said.

Additionally, the band released an album in early 2015 titled “Music House.” It has 12 songs, some of which they performed during their show Friday night.

Typically, the band performs in music clubs in the Twin Cities, such as Turf Club in St. Paul, Minnesota. They hope to one day perform in the Main Room at First Avenue in Minneapolis, Eisenbeis said.

Fans can listen to Filthy Animals’ music on many music streaming websites, such as Spotify, iTunes and Bandcamp. The band also sells physical copies of their album and EP at their shows.