Whether you consider yourself a die-hard Cory Wong fan, a Vulfpeck connoisseur, or just a fan of the funk, you’re not going to want to miss a chance to see Cory Wong and his band blow you away with their musicianship and talent. This past week we had the chance to see him up close at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, please enjoy our full review below.

Kicking the night off with the Vulfpeck song his parents named him after, Cory Wong, the crowd naturally exploded with excitement and so the epic set began. Cory invited his first guest Sierra Hull on stage to shred it up on the mandolin; not a phrase you hear every day, but we were giddy with excitement to include it in the review! Introducing their talent and vocals added another layer to the show that captivated the entire auditorium.

Showing off his easy-going and never-take-yourself-too-seriously attitude, Cory leaned into Sierra’s mandolin size by announcing that the next song would only be played on instruments that were smaller than her mandolin! Yes, even including a mini drumset. Seeing how much fun the group was having on stage together with their mini instruments reminded us of one of our favorite live performance recordings…yep, it’s another reference to Vulfpeck live at MSG.

What made this night even more special, was Cory’s references specifically geared toward musicians. From his “Andy from Sweetwater” (a popular instrument and musical gear website with exceptional customer service) to time signature and 16th note references…both Cory and the audience knew that this show was for fans and musicians alike. The 80s and 90s babies in the audience were in for a treat when Cory decided to cover some of his favorite “middle school dance” songs…hits included Sandstorm, Fatboy Slim’s Rockafeller Stank, and Celebration by Daft Punk. Despite knowing the zero percent chance that Daft Punk would make an appearance, I’d be lying if I said we weren’t fantasizing about the most random surprise appearance ever.

They continued the show with Ripe’s cover of Lola by The Kinks and some more funky jazzy tunes that seemed to perfectly elude any specific genre, the band blew us away the entire night and thanked the crowd as they exited stage left. But wait…is that a step and repeat? Quirky music? What’s happening?

The band re-appeared in a comedic spoof of a sports debriefing where Cory and the band had prepared a dialogue and opened up a Q&A with the pit. One of the fans asked a sax player if he knew how to play Giant Steps, a notoriously difficult composition that has become somewhat of a Freebird within the niche woodwind community. Without skipping a beat, he put that fan in his place and didn’t even break a sweat with the spontaneous shred that even more proved the musicianship of not only the one player but the entire ensemble.

They wrapped up the “press conference” and ended the night with two more mind-blowing songs that left us wanting more. Absolutely a night to remember and we hope you check out Cory Wong’s music and keep an eye out for when he’s touring near (or far from) you!

Review & Photos by: Zak Sender

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Cory Wong Brings His Endless Grooves to The Wiltern in LA