After 15-plus years, six albums, and countless (often shirtless) live shows, Five Alarm Funk can legitimately claim the title of Funkiest Band in Canada. The long road to today's eight-man wrecking crew began back in the early ‘00s when three young dudes came together within Vancouver's thriving live-music scene, rocking for friends at house parties and basement shows without much care for curfew or career.

In short time, the guitar-bass-drums trio was joined by various horns and percussionists to augment their dance-mad jam sessions. Eventually, they booked their first proper show at a venue; it sold out before doors opened, and a phenomenon was born. Cross-Canadian tours followed and then dips into the U.S. and, later, Taiwan.

With the band's lineup since solidified — three percussionists, three horns, guitar, and bass — these days FAF is a crowd-pleasing ringer at festivals like Washington State's Summer Meltdown, the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and TD Sunfest in London, Ontario.

As if they need further proof of their funk supremacy, FAF earned a co-sign from Bootsy Collins — he of the star-shaped sunglasses, cartoon vocals, and legendary six-string bass drops. He provides guest vocals on the band's recent single, "We Play the Funk," a full-throttle rework of "Capitol City," one of the highlights of their 2017 album, ‘Sweat.' That monster jam follows a slew of self-released records and EPs dating back to their 2006 eponymous debut, each a distillation of the ferocious live show that made FAF famous.

And make no mistake: Even considering their masterful recordings, onstage is where the band lives out its mission. With players arranged around front-and-center kit drummer Tayo Branston, FAF flexes choreographed dance moves, group-shouted vocals, and dizzying musical interplay — a rhythm-centric, party-starting musical machine. See them perform and you quickly understand why they called that last album ‘Sweat.'