Desert Dweller to City Slicker
Born from the shutdowns of the COVID pandemic in June 2020, Funk Punk Lives emerged as a lifeline to music amid isolation. From interviewing bands to capturing concerts through photography and video, this Reno music blog became Sam Ray-Johnson’s favorite hobby. For four years, she spotlighted 40 artists near and far, and captured the spirit of the Reno music scene through retelling its stories.
In October of 2024, Sam made the decision to end this project. The site remained live as an archive for those wishing to seek information on the Reno music scene. This is a non-profit blog — Sam never made any money off content coverage.
Now, in January of 2026, after moving across the USA to a new city: Buffalo, New York — Sam is ready to jump back into the local music scene, this time from the City Of Good Neighbors!
This blog lives at the intersection of counter culture and basic, bohemian and sci-fi, goth and disco, Funk and Punk.