Inside the Seattle Funk Scene with Ben Bloom of The Polyrhythmics

In Episode 30 of the Music Festivals Podcast, I sit down with Ben Bloom of the The Polyrhythmics, a Seattle-based powerhouse instrumental group that emerged from Seattle’s deep funk scene.

Originally intended to be just a recording project, the band’s first live show revealed an unexpected energy that changed everything. With over 15 years of touring and recording, their evolving sound continues to blur genre lines, creating hypnotic grooves that keep audiences locked in. The band will be the Friday night headliner at the Whippersnap Music & Arts Festival that is taking place at the Florida Sand Music Ranch in Brooksville, FL from February 19th - 20th, 2025.

Ben and I get into his background as a musician and some inspiration that can be traced back to a highly influential high school band director. We talk about the formation of The Polyrhythmics, their studio, upcoming album releases and some of their tour stops before and after their headlining Whippersnap.

Up Next Week: My Conversation with Alex "Gator" Pertropulos of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong.

Next week on the Music Festivals Podcast, I sit down with Alex "Gator" Petropulos, drummer for Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, to talk about his journey with the band, their evolving sound, and what’s ahead in 2025.

Alex joined Pigeons in 2015, stepping in as drummer and helping shape the band’s high-energy, improvisational style that has made them a favorite in the jam scene.

In this episode, we dig into their latest album, Day In Time, their relationship with their dedicated fanbase “The Flock,” and the experience of hosting their own festival, Domefest, now set at New River Gorge in West Virginia.

Alex also shares insights on their current tour, which includes stops at Jam Cruise 21, All Good Now, and a headlining spot at Sunshine Get Down at Florida Sand Music Ranch.

We also talk about the impact of live recordings, their take on Nugs.net and how that has impacted band marketing, and what it’s like to play in some of the most iconic jam venues and festivals in the country. If you’re a fan of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, the jam scene, or just love hearing about life on the road, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.Tune in for the full interview dropping next Friday!

Win 2025 Festival Passes for You and a Neighbor

If you found this website for the first time on a Google Search, I’d love to have you join The Neighborhood. That's our official email newsletter

Neighborhood subscribes get exclusive content that's not published on the website or channels as well as chances to enter drawings for ticket giveaways to festivals all over the U.S. Subscribers also get access to discount codes and deals from our growing list of supporting partners.  

Make sure to visit the homepage and sign up to Join the Neighborhood with your email address. You'll get no more than one email each week as we roll into the spring and summer festival seasons. See you on the inside. 👋

WinterWonderGrass Drawing Winner Announced!

I'm thrilled to announce the winner of the passes to WinterWonderGrass 2025! 🍻

BIG CONGRATS to our neighbor Joanna Goodman!  Joanna attended last year's festival on crutches, but is back on healed legs this year and ready to dance and ski in Steamboat! If you want to dance and ski too, you can still get passes at the WinterWonderGrass website.

I want to extend extend our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible partners at Bonfire Entertainment and the WinterWonderGrass Festival for their generous support and collaboration in making this exciting ticket giveaway a possible!  And, a big thank you to Joanna for being a Neighborhood subscriber, tuning into the show each week and for entering the drawing. 🙏