San Francisco’s Sweater Funk DJ crew have been the city’s most dedicated purveyors of the funky subgenre known as BOOGIE since the summer of 2008. Their vision to bring boogie, strictly on vinyl originals, to the masses has earned them a diehard following who pack the house every First Saturday at The Knockout in San Francisco. They’ve won SF Weekly’s Best New Club 2009, hosted artists such as Leroy Burgess, Dam-Funk, Steve Arrington, Daz-I-Kue, DJ Spinna, Mayer Hawthorne, Peanut Butter Wolf, Kon and Amir, Onra, Benedek, Cool Chris, and more.

About Sweater Funk

What’s the origin story of your crew? How did you come together? Who were the founding members? What inspired your name?

Sweater Funk was co-founded by longtime DJs Jon Blunk and Jacob Peña, both originally from Southern California. The two met at Good Foot, a soul night in Long Beach, where they bonded over their shared love of obscure funk records. After relocating to the Bay Area around 2005–2006, they were inspired by L.A.’s legendary boogie party Funkmosphere to start something similar in San Francisco. In 2008, they launched Sweater Funk, an all-vinyl boogie, modern soul, and steppers night, in the basement of Chinatown’s Li-Po Lounge.

Within a year, the intimate basement space was packed with dancers, record collectors, and local DJs drawn to the underground, gritty, and deeply danceable vibe. One of those DJs was The Selecter DJ Kirk Harper, who quickly became a core member of the Sweater Funk crew.

As the party grew, so did the DJ collective, eventually expanding to a diverse crew of over a dozen selectors, including K-Maxx, DJ Mamabear, Chungtech, Sean Sullivan, Shredone, 2-Step Lou, Renmin, Marky, Noel, and more, all united by a passion for rare ’80s funk on original wax.

The name Sweater Funk was coined by Los Angeles DJ Miles Tackett (of Breakestra and the legendary Root Down party), a nod to the fuzzy sweaters often seen on boogie album covers. Jon Blunk adopted the name for the party, with “Sweater Funk” doubling as a playful nod to “SF”, a party that’s as uniquely San Francisco as the city itself.

How would you describe the Sweater Funk Community? What vibes can people expect coming to one of your parties?

The Sweater Funk community is made up of dancers, record collectors, local DJs, and music lovers who are drawn to an underground, gritty, and deeply danceable vibe. It’s a diverse crowd, and that’s reflected both behind the decks and on the dance floor.

One thing that makes the party unique is our two-for-two DJ format, we go back-to-back dropping 2 records, and rotating throughout the night. Because we know each other’s styles and musical sensibilities so well, we’re able to feed off each other’s energy, and elevate the energy on the dance floor.

We’re also proud to call The Knockout our home, an all-inclusive, safe-space venue located in San Francisco’s Outer Mission where everyone is welcome to show up, let go, and dance.

Who or what influences your sets the most? Genres, eras, mentors, movements — what shapes your sound?

While Sweater Funk was originally inspired by L.A.’s legendary boogie party Funkmosphere, the sound has evolved into something uniquely our own. What sets us apart is our blend of genres, we dig deep into modern soul and steppers, contemporary styles that build on classic soul with elements of R&B, funk, and jazz. Toward the end of the night, we love shifting into that slower, mid-tempo zone to play some of our favorite deep cuts on wax.

We’re also inspired by each other. The crew is constantly putting one another onto new music, always sharing knowledge and deepening our collective sound. That openness extends to anyone who’s curious… if you’re into the music, you’re already part of the community.

How has the Bay Area shaped your identity as a crew?

The Bay Area’s spirit of diversity, underground culture, and creative freedom is at the core of Sweater Funk’s identity. From throwing a vinyl-only party in a Chinatown basement to building a community of dancers, diggers, and DJs, we’ve been shaped by the Bay’s deep musical roots and DIY ethos. The crew reflects the city’s collaborative energy, and the party mirrors its eclectic, inclusive vibe…always soulful, always danceable, and always super fun!

How do you stay connected to your community outside of the booth? Where and when can we catch you outside of MINTED SF?

Follow Sweater Funk on IG at @sweaterfunk and catch Sweater Funk every 1st Saturday at The Knockout (3223 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110).

RSVP for your free tickets to see Sweater Funk at MINTED SF on July 11, 2025!