From singing Santeria in a small camper to putting on concerts with over 200 people attending, seven high school students have found a way to express their love for music, bringing together the youth across the Sioux Falls community.  

The idea came alive during the summer of 2024 when the current lead singer, SFC senior Braxon Boyd, decided to voice his talents in front of his friends for the first time, leaving them impressed. After seeing the recent popularity of garage bands on TikTok, the boys were determined to create their own unique band, later named the Funky Monks. Despite most of the members having little knowledge of musicology and instruments before joining the group, their talent pushed them to quickly grow familiar. Guitarist Peter Stys, a senior from OGHS, recently picked up his instrument only a year and a half ago, mostly learning through YouTube. Although he is a quick learner, and shares most of his skills with other members.

“I’m trying to teach James [Heiman] a little bit of music theory and reading notes, so he’s kind of picking up and making basslines more,” said Stys. 

The band spends every Monday together, practicing and rehearsing covers. 

Not only is it an outlet for entertainment and socialization, but also an outlet for expression. 

“[Playing] gets your mind off of a stressful week,” said Boyd. 

They focus mainly on indie and rock style songs, with artists ranging from Sublime and the Red Hot Chili Peppers to AC/DC and Green Day. The wide variety of songs performed caters to one of the band’s favorite attributes, their distinctiveness. 

“It’s unique and it’s different. It is so much fun,” said guitarist, SFC junior Levi Vanderhaar. 

The boys hosted their first concert on Dec. 30, 2024, at Stys’ shop in Tea, SD, with around 40 students who came to support. Most of them consisted of close friends and classmates, but it was still a successful and entertaining event.

Following, they created a TikTok account (@funky.monks6). With this account, they posted small clips of cover songs, further catching students’ attention on social media. 

Soon, they began to take a more inclusive approach to grow their attendance for their second concert. This included posting on Snapchat stories and other platforms and inviting all of their classmates.

“People would come up to us and say, ‘Hey, what time is your concert?’ And then Peter would turn back to the crowd and people behind and say, ‘Hey, what time is the concert?’ And everybody would be like, ‘doors open at eight,’” said Boyd. 

On May 3, 2025, the Funky Monks performed to over 200 students from across multiple schools in Sioux Falls. This was another huge success for the band, causing their attendance to multiply almost five times from their previous concert. The band hopes to serve as a space for peers to let loose, enjoy the music and have fun. 

“The thing that differentiates us [from other bands] is that we’re so unserious and we just want to have fun,” said Stys. 

While the band’s popularity continues to rise in Sioux Falls, the members do not have much time left together. With six senior members and one junior, the upcoming school year will split the group up to different colleges and states. But for now, the band plans to keep bringing the community together and to share their love for music. They also hope to host another concert coming up in June to wrap up the end of the school year. By holding concerts and performing for the youth in Sioux Falls, the Funky Monks continue to provide and build a passion for music, entertainingly.

What was originally four guitarists in a camper with a dream became a lifelong memory and achievement for these seven high school students.