Funksgiving: Nik Greeley and the Operators @ MilkBoy with West End Blend.

Text and images by Chip Frenette.

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? For Nik Greeley and the Operators, it’s funk. And they served it up at MilkBoy  non Friday.

After a day of fighting for $99 flat screens, followed by devouring leftover-turkey sandwiches, the funk faithful found their way to the Chestnut Street club. Many in attendance were greeted with hugs from Greeley as he roamed the room covered under a pashmina scarf while West End Blend got the night started.

The New England-based funk act began the final month of their fall tour at MilkBoy, promoting their new album, Attitude.

Then Nik Greeley and the Operators took the stage.

Greeley paused between tracks to give thanks for a lot of things. Many of those things included funk music, family, friends and his band.

“My band, they are my brothers,” said Greeley between his soulful R&B vocals.

Greeley shouted out keyboardist Sammy Gutman, who designed the new shirts for the band. The shirts feature a bear donning a flat brim hat and using an antique telephone.

Greeley welcomed several guests to the stage during their two sets of funk. Among the guests were guitarist Chester Dragon, Chris Bullock of Snarky Puppy, Adam Dotson of Rubblebucket and Danny Meyer Music from the Eric Krasno Band.