Back from the dead

Posted by Stephen Centanni | Mar 28, 2018 | Music Briefs | 0 |

Photo | Submitted | Here Come the Mummies

Band: Here Come the Mummies
Date: Friday, March 30 with doors at 7 p.m.
Venue: Saenger Theatre, 6 S. Joachim St., www.mobilesaenger.com
Tickets: $27-$37 available through Ticketmaster

The “Jewel on Joachim” will be kicking off Easter weekend with one of the music industry’s most unique acts. Here Come the Mummies will be returning to Mobile with a batch of high-energy funk that should have everyone in attendance grooving all the way into Sunday services.

Encased in the funeral wraps of ancient Egypt, Here Come the Mummies describe themselves as “an eight-piece funk-rock band of 5,000 year-old Egyptian Mummies” featuring a set of “terrifying funk from beyond the grave.” With the lineup featuring characters such as “Mummy Cass,” “Midnight” and “The Flu,” the identities of the talented musicians has remained a secret for almost 20 years. The only clue the band offers is the group is rumored to contain “reincarnated Grammy winning studio musicians.”

The mysterious nature of this concept band is complemented by their fun and extensive funk style that falls somewhere between Parliament Funkadelic and Morris Day and The Time. Here Come the Mummies features an adrenalized live show that is an explosion of infectious rhythms, plucky guitars and flamboyant horns. Along the way, the band spins lyrics filled with double entendre that will bring smiles to its Saenger audience.

About The Author

Stephen Centanni

With the exception of two years spent at Auburn University, Steve Centanni has spent his life in Mobile County while focusing on his two passions: music and the written word. As soon as he was issued his driver’s license, Centanni began to explore the local music scene in the early ‘90s. He filled his weekend with visits classic local venues such as the Four Strong Winds Coffee House, Vincent Van Go-Go’s and Culture Shock, all of which welcomed those who had yet to reach 18. After high school, Centanni traded Mobile for Auburn to complete his B.A. in English with an emphasis on general writing. While at Auburn, he had the honor of studying under the Pulitzer-winning poet Natasha Trethewey, who served as the nation’s Poet Laureate in 2012 and 2014. After receiving his diploma, Centanni quickly moved back to Mobile and completed the University of South Alabama’s graduate program with a M.Ed. Eventually, he was tapped by the nationally distributed Volume Entertainment Magazine to serve as the magazine’s managing editor/senior writer. His time with Volume allowed him to exercise his love for both music and writing. As Volume began to fade, Lagniappe recruited Centanni as their Music Writer and later their Music Editor, where he has remained for a little over a decade. As far as his involvement in the local music scene, Centanni organized Cess Fest at the Langan Park, which was a mini-festival focused on original local music in a time when original local music was veritably taboo in Downtown Mobile. For a short time, he brought original music to Downtown Mobile as the in-house promoter for the now deceased venue Cell Block. He managed local underground powerhouse Fry Cook, until the members parted ways. Centanni has lent his bass to bands such as Keychain Pistol and The F’n A-Holes, and he toured nationally as a member of Abstract Artimus & the Torture Children. Currently, he provides vocals for the garage blues rock outfit Johnny No. Ultimately, Centanni’s experience in the local music scene as both a participant and an observer has allowed him to witness the ever-changing persona of Mobile’s enigmatic music scene, which continues to leave him with more questions than answers.