How can you tell the difference between hip-hop and funk? Is it the vocals or the band? What about rap? Is that just a DJ and an MC? It seems as though the lines that we use to classify musical genres is blurring even more than in the past.

The vagueness in labeling urban groups continues to get tougher because bands like Audible Mainframe are pulling together all sides of the music world to create a unique sound that not only moves the crowd, but keeps you engaged for the whole show.

The sound of Audible Mainframe is only achieved because they use a full band. Guitars, bass, keyboards, DJ, drums and one hell of a frontman take up the whole stage and produce a unified sound that makes it hard to stay in your seat.

The lyrics range from proverbial to just having a good time, but the energy is great throughout. Having a solid frontman is everything. Without someone to direct the flow of energy in a band like this, you are lost.

In the middle of the set the band did a medley of hip-hop anthems with their own take on the tracks. This was the highlight for the crowd as they got a chance to really see the range of these musicians.

Usually the DJ is the only one flipping up tracks beat by beat, but in this case, it was the whole ensemble shifting gears and timing. The clarity of the music wasn’t drowned out at all by the DJ and the vocals sounded clean.

Stuck in the supporting position for the night, it was a shame that we only got 30 minutes of this very talented band. If you get the chance, make it a point to catch Audible Mainframe before they get too big and you miss out on seeing them in a small venue.