High energy is the hallmark of Burlington, VT’s Gang of Thieves. Nominated for “2013 Rock Act of the Year” by the New England Music Awards, Gang of Thieves cook up a stew of influences ranging from Red Hot Chili Peppers and Sublime to Rage Against the Machine and Led Zeppelin. These Green Mountain rockers have won over diverse audiences coast-to-coast, opening for the likes of Skid Row on the one hand, and up-and-coming jam band Twiddle on the other. The key to this universal appeal is the infectious sense of fun and showmanship, delivered with a hint of spiritual and political awareness, without any of preachy self-righteousness. The penchant for funky grooves that anchor the band’s original songs can be heard in their new album “Thunderfunk”, which was recorded in Berkeley, CA with Grammy award winning producer Michael Rosen (Santana, Rancid, Less Than Jake). “You know how Funkadelic kind of specializes in baby-making music? Well, Gang of Thieves dips into that groovin’ baby-making sound… and you know what that means. Without even thinking about it, you’re shaking whatever booty you got.” -Gary Shwind, Incognito Magazine “Thunderfunk shows the band to be a tightly coiled and well-oiled machine.” -Dan Bolles, Seven Days