As Poeville Fire Burns, ‘Big Smoke’ Comforts Me
Photo by Camille Couvez on Unsplash
As I sit here writing this, homes in my city are burning.
Five Alarm Funk has always been a band I've resonated with. I've had friends tell me they're too intense, or too hectic, but every song I listen to from them is a strange work of art.
From "Wash Your Face" to "Freight Train," Five Alarm Funk has a way of storytelling without using any words -- painting a picture with soaring brass sections, killer guitar riffs and of course, the ever precise but wild drumming from Tayo Branston.
Their newest single, "Big Smoke," hits differently for me today. As I speak, the Poeville Fire is burning in the City of Reno, and evacuations are being ordered for some areas. It looks like I won’t be affected so far, but some of my neighbors and community members will be. I took the time to listen to “Big Smoke” today, because I needed a distraction from the chaos happening just next door.
“Big Smoke” starts off just like a wildfire. There’s a fast, upbeat tempo that creates a sense of urgency — as if you’re running away from something, or you’re being chased. As you weave through this story led by the trumpet and saxophone, you transcend through the ebb and flow of a fire. Some parts die down to allow an omnious, creeping bass line to sink through, other parts burst through the door, like a slap in the face from Branston’s ever-present drumming. The whole song carries you through a journey with an uncertain end. Much like an actual fire.
Five Alarm Funk has always been a special band for me. I saw them for the first time at the Hangtown Music Festival in Placerville, California, in 2018 -- it was one of the happiest years of my life. I'll never forget watching Thomas Towers change into crazy outfits behind his congas as the band played (was he going to be a shark? A hotdog? Who knows?) or hearing "Wheels On The Bus" as I watched a group of young people and old people alike throwing up crazy dance moves in the front row. Five Alarm Funk brought a flair and a vibrant energy to that festival that I desperately craved at the time. Don't get me wrong, bluegrass is great -- but funk kicks ass.
Needless to say, this has been a bit of a rambling review. It's hard for me to gather my thoughts as I listen to "Big Smoke," with the relevancy of what's going on in my town right now.
All I know, is that it's giving me a sense of normalcy to face something I know is going to be hard for everyone in this city. As I speak, families are losing their livelihoods and my fellow journalists, first responders and volunteers may be watching people's homes burn to the ground — everything they own, everything they had, everything they worked for — gone, in a matter of minutes.
I'm not sure how to end a review like this, in the midst of current events. But what I do know, is this track will be on repeat in my library for a while as we try to pick up the pieces in the coming months.
Please pray for residents of Nevada who have called the valleys along Peavine Mountain their homes tonight. They'll need a lot more than music in the weeks to come.
To listen to Five Alarm Funk, visit their Spotify profile here.
To follow news on the Poeville Fire, visit KTVN 2 News in Reno here.
