The popular restaurant Funk ‘n Waffles hosts nightly concerts and open mic nights for musicians of all skill levels.
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Reporter: For musicians like Evan Bujold, funk n waffles has always been a special place. When Bujold was a grad student at Syracuse University, he found Funk ‘n Waffles and became the open mic night host.
Evan Bujold: “Open mics are great because it gives ya know new performers a chance to actually put
their content out there… it’s the only place that you can hear original music that you can’t hear anywhere else…so when somebody comes in and is like should I do a cover or an original, the answer is always original.”Reporter: For people like Dan O’Herien, Funk ‘n Waffles is a way to stay connected to music. O’Herien went to music school, but ended up on a different path. The people who come out, are what keeps him coming back.
Dan O’Herien: “Everyone, especially the house band, the people who run it are all like super accepting of whoever comes out. Like you’ve kind of got all skill levels…We’ve had people that have just come off the streets.”
Reporter: Stop by Funk ‘n Waffles for great food, great music, and great connections.
Kayley Decina, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Stop by Funk ‘n Waffles for breakfast and come back at night for a show. The waffle restaurant transforms into a concert space and hosts daily open mic nights for musicians of all experiences.
Musician Evan Bujold is no stranger to the Funk ‘n Waffles scene. Bujold first came to the restaurant’s open mic night as a Syracuse University graduate student. Bujold said the open mics are one of his favorite features of the music scene.
“Open mics are great because it gives ya know, new performers a chance to actually put their content out there,” Bujold said. “I like it because it’s the only place that you can hear original music that you can’t hear anywhere else.”
Bujold used to host the open mic up on the hill when Funk ‘n Waffles was at its original Crouse Avenue location. Now, he’s back to perform.
For musicians like Dan O’Herien, the people who come to the events are what makes them special.
“Everyone, especially the house bands being the most important and the people run it, are all like super accepting of whoever comes out like you’ve kind of got all skill levels,” O’Herien said.
O’Herien said the events are open to anyone, not just those who have music education or experience. He said they’ve had people come right off the streets to play with them. What makes Funk ‘n Waffles stand out is how accepting they are.
“There’s some other jams and particularly people that aren’t always that way like they kind of call songs that are not particularly beginner-friendly,” O’Herien said. “Or they’re more fitting for people who have gone to school.”
The musicians at Funk ‘n Waffles understand that in the end, it’s about making music people enjoy.
And at Funk ‘n Waffles, the best way to enjoy the entertainment is with a savory side of food. The restaurant offers a variety of unique dishes to choose from. Their most popular dishes are Chicken and Waffles and their Jive Turkey plate which is a classic Thanksgiving meal on a waffle.
Funk ‘n Waffles has performances five or six days a week and free open mic nights every Sunday. Tickets for events can be bought through their website funknwaffles.square.site.