About The Spoon Benders

With hundreds of thousands of aspiring bands trying to grind out a name for themselves in their hometown, their region, their nation, and their world at large, it becomes absolutely crucial that a band find some way to set itself apart—to transcend the notion of being just a garage band, being amateur, being a copycat, or being another face in the crowd of wannabes. The Spoon Benders have been working since 2002 to be so entertaining, so practiced, so energetic, so creative, and so passionate about their music and their live show to make you ask a question as you're walking out of the concert hall at the end of the evening:

"Other bands? What other bands?"

Matt Winfree (guitar, vocals), Brian Bennett (drums, percussion), and Yves Giraud (bass, vocals) are a power trio in the classic sense of the word. Filtering rock and roll with blues, funk, folk, and soul music, these three obsessive and somewhat loony characters strive to hit you in the gut, the heart, the head, and the feet all at once so that you don't know whether to dance, sing, laugh, cry, or just listen. At their increasingly wild and unpredictable shows, you can usually find somebody out in the crowd doing all five at once.

They've shared the stage with the Steve Miller Band, Sum 41, Taylor Hicks, Brett Dennen, Pat Benatar, Foreigner, Chris Isaak, Doobie Brothers, Dr. John, Michael McDonald, Lynryd Skynryd, Mark Farner (Grand Funk Railroad), Buck Dharma (Blue Oyster Cult), Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow, Deep Purple), Lucky Peterson, Papa Grows Funk, Sean Costello, John Lee Hooker, Jr., Calton Coffie (Inner Circle), and Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians and have held their own with all of these first-rate performers.

They've been marketing their self-titled debut CD since March 2005 and their live recording "The Spoon Benders vs. The Pandas" since November 2006, which captured their spontaneity, their humor, and their predilection to get into some absolutely searing instrumental jams. In August 2007, they released their second studio album, "Resurrecting the Giants," produced by Duane Lundy and featuring the band's most impressive work to date. They've won over the hearts of the generally disinterested and anti-culture crowd of south Floridians, and are supporting the newest release with extensive radio promotion and a sweeping national tour.

"Stylistically, I guess we're a hodge-podge of classic rock and American roots music; Try to imagine Albert Collins, the Funky Meters, Paul Simon, Jeff Buckley, Jimi Hendrix, the Police, U2 and the Black Crowes all peeing into the same bucket. Our pee would smell something like that ," says frontman Matt Winfree.

Sporting a collectively bizarre sense of humor, Winfree, Bennett, and Giraud refuse to take themselves too seriously. "But we take music very seriously," reminds Winfree. "It is such a spiritual thing, and it's like the Force—it can be manipulated for good or for evil. We've gotten a real taste of the dark side down here in south Florida—bands who play for the sake of image, or just to get laid, or just to be like whoever's on the good old Clear Channel playlist. Not that we don't want to get laid. But music deserves to be treated with integrity, respect, and absolutely unflinching and devoted passion. We play for the rare and exceptional person who understands what that means."

Spoil yourself and give them a listen.