{{Short description|American musical duo, founded 2004}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Future Folk | alias = | origin = New York City | genre = {{flat list| * American folk music * Comedy * Filk music }} | years_active = {{start date|2004}}–2017 (hiatus) | label = | associated_acts = | website = {{URL|https://futurefolk.com/}} | current_members = General Trius (Banjo) and The Mighty Kevin (guitar) | past_members = | module = }}
'''Future Folk''' is a New York City-based folk music comedy duo. Founded as a live act in 2004, the duo includes the characters General Trius (Nils d'Aulaire) and The Mighty Kevin (Jay Klaitz).
==Career== After co-starring in an Off-off-Broadway musical comedy titled ''Who Is Wilford Brimley?'',<ref name=theatermania>{{cite web|url= http://www.theatermania.com/off-off-broadway/shows/who-is-wilford-brimley-the-musical_106636/|title=Who is Wilford Brimley? The Musical|publisher=TheaterMania.com |date=2004-09-03 |accessdate=2014-03-29}}</ref> d’Aulaire and Klaitz brainstormed ideas for an act that involved roots music from outer space. They composed songs for the project, which revolved around a fictitious planet named Hondo, and crafted costume helmets from plastic buckets and duct tape.
After a performance in New York’s East Village, they evolved the act, expanding back stories and developing their characters with each performance. They first appeared as Future Folk in 2005 at Tonic in Times Square, performing at a party celebrating the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url= http://freewilliamsburg.com/the-westminster-dog-show-party/|archive-url= https://archive.today/20140305060214/http://freewilliamsburg.com/the-westminster-dog-show-party/|url-status= dead|archive-date= March 5, 2014|title=The Westminster Dog Show Party |publisher=Free Williamsburg |date=2005-02-16 |accessdate=2014-03-29}}</ref>
In 2012, they released a studio album titled ''Future Folk, Vol 1''.<ref>{{Citation |title=Future Folk, Vol. 1 by Future Folk |date=2012-06-05 |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/future-folk-vol-1/533439936 |language=en-US |access-date=2022-07-26}}</ref>
===''The History of Future Folk''===
In 2012, Future Folk filmed a feature-length movie, ''The History of Future Folk'', which chronicles the duo's arrival on Earth and their subsequent attempt to save both Hondo and Earth from annihilation. Jeremy Kipp Walker and John Anderson Mitchell, who provided writing, production and directorial guidance, simplified the pair's back story to accommodate the narrative within the film's modest budget.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_history_of_future_folk_2012/|title=The History Of Future Folk |date=31 May 2013 |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes |accessdate=2014-03-29}}</ref>
In the film, d'Aulaire plays Bill Hunt, AKA General Trius, who has been on Earth for some time and has a wife and child, while Klaitz plays Kevin/The Mighty Kevin, who has been sent from their home planet to find General Trius. The cast includes Julie Ann Emery as Holly, the wife of Bill who believes that General Trius is just a name he made up for stories he tells their daughter.
The feature film was distributed by Variance Films in 2013.<ref name="History of Future Folk Press Kit">{{cite web|url=http://www.variancefilms.com/futurefolkpress.html|title=The History of Future Folk Press Resource Page|publisher=Variance Films|year=2013|accessdate=2014-03-29|archive-date=2014-04-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407113555/http://www.variancefilms.com/futurefolkpress.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and became available on Netflix in 2014.
Future Folk received positive critical reviews, with the ''Washington Post'' describing their film performance as "goofy, endearing and wholesome,"<ref name=WashingtonPost>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/going-out-guide/wp/2013/10/01/watch-online-the-history-of-future-folk-butch-walker-magic-magic/|title=The History of Future Folk|date=1 October 2013|newspaper=The Washington Post|accessdate=2014-03-29}}</ref> and the ''Los Angeles Times'' praising their "sweet harmonies" and "impressive acoustic picking."<ref name=LosAngelesTimes>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-xpm-2013-jun-06-la-et-mn-history-future-folk-review-20130606-story.html|title=Intergalactic Laughs in 'The History of Future Folk'|date=6 June 2013|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2014-03-29|archive-date=2014-04-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407113745/http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jun/06/entertainment/la-et-mn-history-future-folk-review-20130606|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Post-Film === The band's second album, ''Future Folk Live On Earth'', was released in December 2014. It included live versions of many songs from their first album, as well as three new tracks (''Hondonian Band, String Theory,'' and ''La Luna Extranjera''). The band continued to play regular live gigs until 2016.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2014-11-07 |title=EVENTS AND PERFORMANCES |url=https://futurefolk.com/2014/11/07/shows/ |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=Future Folk |language=en}}</ref> Two new singles, ''Hondo'' and ''Rocket Tow Truck'', were released in September, 2017, before the band went into an indefinite hiatus.
When asked by fans if the band planned to eventually return, General Trius explained they were "on vacation about 2.5 light years away"<ref name=":0" /> but did in fact plan on returning. As of July, 2021, the band said "We have some things cooking.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-11-07 |title=About |url=https://futurefolk.com/about/ |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=Future Folk |language=en}}</ref>"
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links==
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Category:American comedy duos Category:American comedy folk musical groups Category:American folk music groups Category:Musical duos from New York (state) Category:Science fiction comedy Category:Musical groups from New York City Category:Science fiction music Category:Bands with fictional stage personas