Cymande, the legendary UK funk band, kicked off their first U.S. tour in over a decade on February 13th, at Irving Plaza.

You may not know Cymande by their name, but as one of the most sampled British bands of all time, you’ve heard their rhythms and melodies in songs from rap legends De La Soul, Wu-Tang Clan, The Fugees, and the Sugar Hill Gang and their songs featuring in Spike Lee’s Crooklyn, Dove, and 25th Hour. The band, featuring original members Patrick Paterson (guitarist) and Steve Scipio (bassist) wowed older record heads and young kids alike with their integration of classic tracks and celebration of their newest album Renascence.

Initially formed in the 1970s, Cymande combined funk, calypso, and afro-rock into their self-described sound of “Nyah-Rock.” While the band has previously toured the U.S. – even becoming the first UK group to headline the Apollo Theater in 1973 – they were mainly seen as a cult band, lacking significant popular support. That is until beatmakers and DJs started sampling their unique sound for early hip-hop and rap, leading to a revival in their popularity and sound. Reforming in the 2010s after breaking up in 1975, the band is now touring in celebration of their sixth album Renascence.

The Cymande show at Irving Plaza on Thursday the 13th was the first time the band had performed in New York City in over a decade and it was the kickoff of their U.S. tour which runs through the end of February (dates below).

The night opened with Brooklyn-based R&B duo Bathe. Their performance, a night before Valentine’s Day, was reminiscent of early Boys II Men love songs with smooth lyrics and calming guitar riffs. While well done, the duo seemed an odd choice for their slower and more melodic tone compared to Cymande’s upbeat and powerful sound later in the evening.

As Cymande came to the stage, the crowd was raucous. Twelve-year-olds danced and screamed with record heads old enough to have listened to Cymande on original vinyl. In their 70s, original members Patrick Paterson (guitar) and Steve Scipio (bass) set the tempo for the rest of the band. The two members danced on stage while driving the rest of the nine-piece band to perform with more and more energy. Channeling their song “Bra’s” chorus, “but It’s all right – we can still go on,” the duo looked like they could play for hours on end.

Across their set, each of the nine members had multiple solos, starting with the horn section: Denys Baptiste (Saxophone), Kevin Davy (Trumpet), and Toni Kofi (Saxophone). Donald Gamble’s (Percussion) solo, followed by drummer Richard Bailey’s solo during “Bra” received the loudest round of applause as each of the musician’s solos went on for over a minute (something not often seen for rhythm section artists).

As the night went on, it felt like something special was happening. It was not truly a come-back tour, but a rekindling of British Funk in a new age – one that could use the joyful music that makes Cymande a band truly its own.