By Mollie Eisler | January 14, 2023
Guitarist Matt and drummer Mark are two funky bros–literally. The Hills hail from Lawrence, Kansas and have been making music together as the electro funk duo, the Floozies, since 2008. From making songs using a loop station and playing in their parents’ basement to going on sold out cross-country tours, playing some of the biggest festivals, and playing their dream venues, the Floozies’ success is evident in their commitment to bringing fresh, groovy vibes to every single show, without a set list. Mix one part funk with another part electronica, then add some jam, jazz, dub, a talk box, and some (epic) lasers, and you get a live music party that you never want to leave. This was the case at the first stop of their Midas Whale Tour. Along with them, they brought keyboardist, producer, and DJ, Jason Leech, and the electric, self-taught DJ and producer, Maddy O’Neal, both of whom brought the heat to Brooklyn Bowl on a chilly Thursday evening in January.
The Floozies set the Bowl ablaze from the moment they stepped on stage. The synergy between the brothers–who never spoke a word to each other during the set–was palpable, even when Matt’s computer had other plans. “The AI is getting too smart,” he mused, and had the audience cross their fingers that it would pull through for the remainder of the show. (It did). Weaving in some classics like “Nothing to Lose,” “Funk Jesus,” and “Arithmetic,” and with their newer jams and samples from musical legends like Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Toto, and Cardi B, the duo kept the audience on its toes with each changing beat. The crescendo of their performance was certainly the debut of one of their newer tracks, “Hot Guy Alert,” during which Matt started a “hot guy” chant, left his guitar and equipment aside, and turned the front of the stage into a runway, where he catwalked back and forth, stopping only with his back facing the crowd to shake his hips in a circle. Someone in the audience slipped a dollar in his pocket, and the whole place cheered.
The two-hour set showcased their creativity while transcending genres, sounds, and vibes. They closed with their latest track, “Midas Whale,” which has the only lyric “If you’re gonna go, then you might as well go hard.” And hard they went.
We caught up with Matt Hill of the Floozies prior to the Brooklyn Bowl show, where he answered a few questions for the groovement:
How did you first get started?
I made a bunch of songs using a loop station, and we played a show in our parent’s basement.
How would you describe your music? (either by genre or general vibe)
Sometimes pretty, sometimes heavy, almost always with a funk undercurrent.
Who/what do you draw inspiration from?
Originally, it was more limited to stuff like Zapp and Roger, Rick James, Earth Wind and Fire, and bass music. Now, it’s virtually anything we listen to.
What’s your dream venue to perform at?
We’ve gotten to play at every dream venue we’ve wanted to except The Gorge. So The Gorge.
Describe your most memorable night out in NYC.
Probably the night Mark jumped in the Hudson River on purpose.
Connect with The Floozies on Instagram, Spotify, TikTok and their website.
📸: shot by Owen Labate
