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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Groovetopia Iii Brings Music To Jump Up And Dance About

If you like live bands and you like to dance, then Groovetopia III is just the thing you need to shake off the winter blues this weekend.

Three Spokane bands with a penchant for packing the dance floor will perform at the all-ages show Saturday at The Met.

Seven-man band Petting Zulu headlines the night with their high-energy brand of ska.

Frontman Dennis Henderson came up with the idea of Groovetopia as a way to bring more music to fans of all ages. The first Groovetopia was held in October 1996.

A nine-piece Spokane band, Like Family, plays the middle spot on Saturday’s lineup. Guitarist/saxophone player, Brett Dechenne says the year-old band tries to bring a different style of music to the Spokane scene. With a rapper and three horn players in the lineup, they lay down a mix of funk, hip hop and jazz.

Civilized Animal opens the show Saturday with a dance-hard style that also blends several elements.

“One tune is ska, the next tune is a really groovy, heavy funk and then we’ll slow it down to a smooth almost Marley-style reggae tune,” says Geoff Miller, trumpet player for the band. Civilized Animal formed five months ago when three members of local heavy rock staple Distorted Silence decided to try something new.

“It kind of seems like that angst stuff is going out,” says guitarist Ken Johnson. “People want to be happy and have fun.”

“Basically you can’t sit still to it - and that was the whole philosophy behind this project,” Miller says.

Groovetopia III at The Met begins Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7, available at G&B Select-A-Seat outlets, 325-SEAT.

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