Category: Reviews

Umphrey’s McGee and TAUK Rock The Palace

Update August 18: Full show video of Umphrey’s performance has surfaced.

Umphrey’s McGee wrapped up a four-night run of the Northeast at The Palace Theatre in Albany on February 6, bringing TAUK to open the show and join them for an impressive “Bad Friday,” one of many stand out moments from a four-and-a-half-hour show between the two bands. Fans were still arriving while TAUK warmed the crowd up for Umphrey’s and made a strong case for the opening act that best compliments the main act. TAUK celebrated keyboardist Alric ‘AC’ Carter with an inventive yet smooth “Eleanor Rigby.”

Umphrey’s got the night started with “Catshot” followed by a double threat of “JaJunk” > “Mulche’s Odyssey,” with “The Peqoud” and the newer “Gone for Good” slowing things down briefly. Joel Cummins took over for a heavy jam in between “Cemetery Walk I” and “Cemetery Walk II” that neared the 20 minute mark, and paired nicely with “Ringo” that followed. Teases of “Voodoo Child” from Jake wound their way back into “JaJunk” to close the set.

Set 2 opened with the recently debuted “Attachments,” after which UM welcomed birthday boy AC to the stage to join in on keys for “Bad Friday,” with Isaac Teel on vocals, yet another fantastic collaboration between the two bands.

We love this! #taukaboutit #umphlove #fanmade @umphreysmcgee

A photo posted by @taukband on Feb 6, 2016 at 6:37pm PST

After a strong “Higgins” jam, Bob Marley’s birthday was celebrated with the mashup “Life During Exodus,” intertwining Marley, Talking Heads and Zappa’s “City of Tiny Lights.” “Resolution” that followed had expert level jamming led by Jake and Kris Myers, with a strong “Norwegian Wood” jam to bring it home into another fresh tune, “Remind Me,” wrapping up a six-song set with four songs clocking in over 12 minutes. The second set was a real treat, and those fans got a great duo in the encore of “Triple Wide” and “Hajimashite,” to keep the energy flowing out the doors and onto South Pearl Street.

Setlist via AllthingsUM

Set 1: Catshot > JaJunk > Mulche’s Odyssey, The Pequod > Gone for Good[1], Cemetery Walk,Cemetery Walk II, Ringo[2] > JaJunk

Set 2: Attachments, Bad Friday[3], Higgins, Life During Exodus, Resolution[4] -> Remind Me
Encore: The Triple Wide > Hajimemashite

[1] with Jake on acoustic
[2] With Voodoo Child (Jimi Hendrix) teases from Jake
[3] with Alric Carter on keys and Isaac Teel on vocals and percussion
[4] with Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (The Beatles) jam

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February 9, 2016
Hearing Aide: Tedeschi Trucks Band ‘Let Me Get By’

The Tedeschi Trucks Band is one of the most prominent touring bands in the jam band community and they’ve carved out an impressive new path with the release of their third studio album Let Me Get By. Collectively the album blends elements of blues, jazz, funk, gospel and good ole fashioned rock and roll. Derek Trucks is nothing short of a prodigy on the guitar and Susan’s songwriting speaks volumes of maturity, often touching on tender subjects like love, heartbreak, adversity and hardship. The way Susan crafts her lyrics seem to come from a place of experience as she develops mysterious themes and undertone to life’s relatable struggles.

TTB played their first gig on April 1, 2010 at the Savannah Music Festival in Georgia as an eight-piece band. Today they’ve grown to an 11-piece ensemble that averages more than 200 gigs a year. Let Me Get By was inspired by tour rehearsals and improvised jam sessions, which was no doubt a long working process. However, the band found time to record at their home studio, Swamp Raga Studios, in Jacksonville, Florida in between their rigorous tour schedule. The result is a true craft of beauty and their best studio release since their Grammy-winning debut album, Revelator.

The album opens up with faint music and what sounds like a distant howl from Susan before the band slams into “Anyhow” with one of their signature funk inspired pocket grooves. Susan’s voice soars to monumental peaks and the harmonizing vocals from Mike Mattison, Alicia Chakour and Mark Rivers complement the track very well. “Laugh About It” is a soft ballad laced with an inspiring undertone, reminding listeners that life is what you make of it. The next track “Don’t Know What It Means” stands out immediately as one of the richest tracks on the album, one that will surely translate well in a live setting. This song has a lot of potential to become a launching pad for some serious improvisation and it will be exciting to watch this song grow. “Right On Time” sounds like nothing the band has ever done before and the horn section sounds like they could be the house band of a speakeasy in Chicago in the roaring ‘20s. Mike Mattison fronts this must hear number with grace and it’s always nice to see the former Derek Trucks Band lead vocalist take a few swings in the spotlight.

The self-titled track “Let Me Get By” is a love song with a heavy tone of time never being on your side. “Just As Strange” finds the band once again shifting down a few gears and laying a gentle musical foundation for Susan to build her vocals on top of. “Crying Over You” finds Mattison once again taking the driver seat and his lead vocals are absolutely stunning. This is another track that will translate beautifully in a live setting. Derek really opens up on his covenant slide and rips a piercing satisfying solo. “Hear Me” is another soul gripping ballad powered by Susan inspired by break up. The band kicks it up a notch with “I Want More” which features a catchy chorus that could be the next “Learn How To Love You” (another TTB original off their debut album that has become a crowd favorite). The album closes with “In Every Heart” which features a gospel like tone and showcases Derek finding a series of peaks on his Gibson.

TTB are set to hit the road with a series of three-night runs lined up in Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C. and Nashville followed by a string of international dates before coming back to the states. With a plethora of new, heavy-hitting material, each time the Tedeschi Trucks Band takes the stage this year is sure to be a moment not to be missed. The wheels are turning rapidly on this already well-oiled machine and they don’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. The sky is the limit for this band and Let Me Get By is another chapter in the band’s history that will surely continue to be written for a very long time.

Key Tracks: “Don’t Know What It Means” “Anyhow” “Crying Over You”

February 8, 2016
Annie in the Water w/ St. Lenox Take the Spotlight

Annie in the Water brought a huge crowd to Funk ‘n Waffles located in downtown Syracuse Friday night, two party buses of about 90 people from Hamilton NY pulled in, more than half of them were Colgate University students.

Opener St. Lenox took the stage as a solo act and immediately captivated the roaring crowd with his incredible voice, catching the attention of passerby’s who peered in the window out of curiosity, before entering.

Annie in the Water is proving to be one of the most formidable funk bands that has ever occupied Funk ‘n Waffles and it was to no surprise that they immediately captivated the crowd.

Those who are familiar with the band know that this tenacious trio haven’t had a bass player for quite some time, but it took them by surprise to see they welcomed back an old friend Lucas Singleton from Albany NY. Lucas has played with Michael Lashomb and Brad Hester in the past and he was undoubtedly a great addition to the show. Brad Hester also introduced a significantly new instrument to the mix, the Jamboxx, which plays high quality impressive digital sounds and is still under development.

Stay tuned for their newest album to be released this year!

February 8, 2016
Lotus and El Ten Eleven Electrify the F Shed

It was a study in contrast Saturday night at the F Shed in Syracuse. Two bands took the stage, each playing their own electro-infused brand of instrumental rock. Two bands at the opposite poles of the same current. Listening to recordings of the bands, you might have a tough time discerning what is creating the sounds. Seeing the music created live on stage, could be an educational experience.

Opener El Ten Eleven, a bass and drums duo out of Southern California, is probably best known for their soundtracks of Gary Hustwit’s trilogy of popular design documentaries, Helvetica, Objectified and Urbanized. Like Explosions in the Sky with Friday Night Lights, behind those movies’ sound is a hard-working band with multiple albums and a penchant for wowing crowds with their memorable live performances.

Kristian Dunn, wielding either a double neck guitar and bass, or a fretless bass, has a massive bank of looping and effects pedals at his disposal, and Tim Fogarty with synthesized and standard drums in his kit, also makes use of looping and effects. Together they composed complex infectiously melodic rock nuggets, layering theme over theme over theme over impossible beats. The band of two becomes a quartet and increases in size and complexity, as the two humans are joined by their electronic echoes.

Playing for the first time in Syracuse, El Ten Eleven ran through an early-starting yet energetic 45 minute set that had most in the filling venue either jaws agape or grooving happily. For those intrigued or wanting more, Western New York gets a chance to see them at full power in small clubs next month, with shows at Mohawk Place in Buffalo and the Bug Jar in Rochester on February 26 and 27 respectively.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhjr8Htgtzw[/embedyt]

No stranger to Syracuse, headliner Lotus were the 1 to El Ten Eleven’s 0, or perhaps more accurately, the 01 00 to their 10 11. The quintet features Mike Rempel on guitar, Jesse Miller on bass and keys, Mike Greenfield on drums, Luke Miller on guitar and keyboards, and Chuck Morris on percussion. By their set time, the F Shed was fully packed and ready to party.

While their music isn’t devoid of looping, they make more sparse and subtle use of it than the front and center way El Ten Eleven employed it. Instead, Lotus relied more on their five strong lineup. The tunes were similarly electronic-leaning upbeat and catchy rock jams. With El Ten Eleven, the beauty lies in the creation and structure of the songs. With Lotus, on the other hand, the beauty comes when they broke through the song stucture. In tight four to six minute segments, El Ten Eleven ended their songs just as you were figuring them out. Lotus continued to explore a song until you couldn’t remember even where it began.

There were times when what Lotus was playing could sound very similar to what El Ten Eleven had laid down earlier in the evening. But the way that each band arrived at that point was very different. Whether it be Fogarty drumming on Dunn’s bass for that perfect rhythmic loop, or the Miller twins switching back and forth between synths, samples and guitars, each band took unique approaches to cull the exact landscapes they desired.

Like a genre super computer, Lotus pulled from funk, house, hip hop, jazz and more, concocting perfectly groovy and unique blends on the fly, that kept the young crowd in constant motion. The deeper and further they stretched it, the better it got. The band steered the music expertly through twists and turns, discovering sparks of energy around unexplored dark corners. Rempel’s thoughtful and blistering guitar work was a consistent highlight, but each member contributed heavily in impressive full band improvisations throughout the show’s two sets.

Lotus featured a spectacular light show. Color changing LED lanterns hung behind and in front of the stage and were also sprinkled around the musicians. Additionally, three different types of mobile LED lights lined the back, while additional lights lit up the ceiling above the band with moving patterns. The multi-dimensional lighting was able to match whatever the band was turning out, morphing the stage from song to song, jam to jam, note to note. All in all, it was plenty enough to turn a shed in the middle of a farmer’s market into a proper Saturday night dance party.

Setlist:
Set 1: Middle Road> Massif, Sunrain> Expired Slang> Sunrain, Pachyderm, Spiritualize
Set 2: Suitcases And Sandwiches, Basin to Benin, Neon Tubes, Soma, Eats the Light, Philly Hit> 128> Umbilical Moonset> 128
Encore: Behind Midwest Storefronts

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February 4, 2016
Acoustic Candlebox Performs to Sold Out Crowd at The Egg

I’ll admit I was more than thrilled to see Candlebox on The Egg’s calendar for February 2, 2016. Having been a fan since the early 90’s and caught their show at SUNY Albany’s RACC (now SEFCU Arena) in February 1995, it was a chance to relive the glory days of senior year, before life happened.

So when I found out earlier this week that it would be acoustic Candlebox, I gave pause because I was expecting the full band instead of something stripped down. Expectations were set on electric but acoustic performances of songs you’ve listened to for more than 20 years was a change I could get behind. Within moments of Kevin Martin discussing the story and the conditions behind writing “Sweet Summertime,” I became intently focused, more so than I would have been hearing the usual renditions from the Candlebox lexicon, without a little something extra on the side. Over the next two hours, Martin and Brian Quinn played a dozen Candlebox songs and gave insight into how these compositions were created amid turbulent paths taken by the band and behind the scenes.

It only took two songs to get to the dark side of Candlebox, and just like that, I was 17 again. “Drowned” was introduced as the result of Maverick Records, who launched Candlebox’s first album to national acclaim, faced pressure from in an effort to produce Lucy, the follow up their 1993 self-titled debut. “Cover Me,” has a religious focus, as Martin doubted that one lone god was the right one among the many gods throughout history.

Acoustic @candlebox_official @theeggpac performing ‘Cover Me’ #nysmusic #swyertheater #90srock

A video posted by NYSMusic (@nystatemusic) on Feb 2, 2016 at 6:22pm PST

Casual drug talk accompanied the stories behind some of Candlebox’s songs this night. Martin didn’t overshare or have a story of a wild night in a hotel room leaving no detail behind – rather he referenced what particular substance was behind the writing of certain songs, without glorifying or defending the drug usage. If anything, it was matter of factly explained and accepted by the audience, just as spats with Maverick Records were taken as a frame for particular songs and not a rant for the sake of complaining. Drugs influenced a handful of songs as recalled by Martin, including “Change” (mushrooms), and “Blossom” (love). “Want it Back” was the lone new song of the night, appearing on the upcoming album Disappearing in Airports, due out in April. Martin made note that New York is still the state with Candlebox’s best all time album sales at 1.5 million, and thanked the sold out crowd in The Egg’s Swyer Theatre.

Throughout the night, it was uncanny how the tone of Martin’s voice hasn’t changed a bit in 25 years; emotion packed lyrics poured out over intense guitar work from Quinn. Songs of longing, such as “Miss You,” was dedicated to his father, a WWII veteran, and “Love Come Back to Me” were stellar.

He did decline a request to play “Breakaway,” regarding the suggestion with “Memories of the process are very painful and the process of recording Happy Pills was so raw,” that to revisit the lyrics in this point and time wouldn’t have the same power and meaning behind them. “Far Behind,” written in tribute to Andy Wood from Mother Love Bone, whom they first knew in the Seattle scene in 1991, was given a new frame from which to hear the song.

After, Brian broke into “The Weight” to the surprise of the audience who sang along while a song off the forthcoming album, “Alive at Last,” closed the show. Without a doubt, acoustic Candlebox exceeded expectations and makes seeing the full live band a must with new light shed on songs that have aged well.

Frank Palangi, a Queensbury native, opened the show with a 30 minute set of gritty acoustic guitar work and flexible vocals that captured the attention of the crowd. Palangi channeled Faith no More, Alice in Chains, Lifehouse and other late 90s rockers through a series of originals that must translate well in a live, plugged-in setting. For a local musician opening for Candlebox at The Egg, the thrill was visible in his smile and on stage presence.

Frank Palagni Setlist: Break These Chains, I am Ready, Godsmack Mix, Working Man, Boohoo, Driving These Lines, Turn it All Around

Candlebox Setlist: Sweet Summertime, Drowned, Cover Me, Change, Blossom, Want It Back, Miss You, Lover Come Back To Me, Sometime, You, Far Behind, The Weight*, Alive At Last

*Brian Quinn solo

February 4, 2016
Greensky Bluegrass plays Horseshoes and Hand Grenades in NYC

Bluegrass music may not be what’s on the radio, but the attendance at this past Saturday’s Greensky Bluegrass and Horseshoes and Hand Grenades show in New York City showed a healthy dose of support for one of the roots of what we’ve come to know as Americana music. With both bands visiting the East Coast from Michigan and Wisconsin, there was no local draw but definitely a packed house. Neither one had graced the stage of the Irving Plaza theater, but there was no sign of discomfort or unease from the opener or headliner.

Although most of the crowd were there for Greensky Bluegrass, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades were welcomed with a positive turnout early on. The five-piece acoustic outfit ran through their unique blend of bluegrass and country that brought bands like Trampled By Turtles and Old Crow Medicine Show to mind. One thing that sets this group aside from anyone else is their utilization of the harmonica and accordion in their arrangements. The fiddle blends well with the handheld instrument to deliver a strong high-end sound. Personal highlights came with covers of Pink Floyd’s “Time,” and Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright,” where they successfully turned two classics into their own sound.

Kalamazoo’s Greensky Bluegrass took to the stage for two sets of well thought out and executed mayhem, running through early staples, showing off new work, and paying homage to their inspiration by taking on songs like Billy Joel’s “Big Shot,” Bruce Hornsby’s “King Of The Hill,” and the Allman Brothers’ “One Way Out.” Known for their playful covers and heartfelt originals, this band can go from dead serious to bouncing off the walls in a matter of one jam in between two songs.

The smooth and familiar vocals of mandolinist Paul Hoffman layered with the crisp southern sound from guitarist Dave Bruzza are even more powerful when blended. Fan favorites like “Dustbowl Overtures,” “Just To Lie,” and “Don’t Lie” came in the first set, with the latter two taking off with instrumental exploration. Set two followed up with unique heavy hitters like “No Idea,” “Georgia Mail,” “Old Barns,” before closing out the second half of the show with “Leap Year.” Their encore of the Greensky original “Forget Everything” was followed with the Allman Brothers cover, just a few blocks away from where the old Fillmore East used to be.
Despite Horseshoes and Hand Grenades being new to the area, it’s safe to say that they made a few fans at Irving Plaza thanks to the guys in Greensky Bluegrass. As the jam-grass brigade from Michigan continues to increase in venue size, it begs the question of what’s next, and where the green sky ends and the bluegrass begins.

February 3, 2016
Mighty Diamonds, Highway 50, Mono Verde Shine at the Fox Theater

The atmospheric weather phenomenon known as El Nino has blown more snow over Colorado than the state has seen in several years. One recent show at the Fox Theater on January 22 in Boulder, CO featuring a trio of roots reggae/ska bands, including reggae pioneers, the Mighty Diamonds, provided a brief respite from winter with a night full of warm, tropical melodies from Jamaica.

Two area favorites, Mono Verde, and Highway 50, helmed by former Samples keyboardist Al Laughin, jumpstarted the evening with a series of percussive world beat and roots ska melodies. Highway 50’s elevated the languid, easy-going style of reggae melodies with a powerful horn section and brawny lead guitar riffs.

The night’s headliners, the Mighty Diamonds, featuring Lloyd “Judge” Ferguson, Fitzroy ”Bunny” Simpson and Donald “Tabby” Shaw, formed in 1969 in the Trenchtown area of Kingston, Jamaica. They showed, even after 46 years, that they can jump, spin, and belt out Motown-infused reggae with unbridled enthusiasm.

February 3, 2016
Break Science Live Band Barrels Over Brooklyn Bowl

Borahm Lee and Adam Deitch are two of Brooklyn’s busiest producer/musicians. Just days before embarking on a western U.S. tour as drummer for funk band Lettuce, Deitch and his collaborator Lee, known collectively as Break Science, nailed a pair of back-to-back hometown gigs at Brooklyn Bowl. While night one featured a rare performance by “Manic Science,” a.k.a. Break Science joined by Chicago-based producer Manic Focus, the second night was all Break Science. The Break Science Live Band, to be precise, with members of Lettuce in tow.

The music of Break Science is a fusion of much of what you might see and hear over time if you frequent shows at Brooklyn Bowl. It’s the sonic vision of two producer-musicians whose passion is to mash up elements culled from the broad array of musical projects they have respectively participated in, deeply rooted in hip-hop and spanning the worlds of EDM to funk and dub. Different musical eras and styles are combined in such a way that the only possible reaction for a fan on the floor at a Break Science show is to dance and give up hope of trying to explain the experience. Words were not necessary as the crowd packing the Bowl buzzed and bounced on Friday night, awash in the vibrance of the rich colors and raging music emanating from the stage.

Hot on the heels of sizzling DJ sets from Marvel Years and Dreamer’s Delight, Break Science broke through the intervening chatter and hum appearing in classic fashion: Deitch on the kit and Lee at the keys, holding it down unaccompanied for the first few songs. While Lee and Deitch are more than capable of rocking crowds for a whole night as an electronica duo, the Live Band situates them in the center of a cross between an EDM performance and a futuristic funk-rock band.

After getting their set off to a smoking start, the duo introduced renowned beatboxer Rahzel, who gripped the audience’s attention with an impeccable exposé of technical precision and endurance, keeping the party rocking for a good 15 minutes using only his lungs, mouth and a microphone while Break Science took a short break. Deitch returned to back Rahzel on drums before welcoming back the full band and giving Rahzel a chance to rap.

From then on the crowd roiled ecstatically as samples and vocal tracks were interwoven seamlessly with analog instrumentation and live vocalists with a finesse indicative of years of experience both in front of and behind mixing boards on the part of the core duo. The brilliance of the live horns contributed greatly to the immediacy of the band’s vibe and the organic, human warmth that made fans feel immersed in the pulsating anthems rumbling the room. A big highlight came towards the end of the set with an intense unleashing of the spiritually uplifting “Force of Nature,” a single released back in October.

The Break Science Live Band demonstrated itself to be capable of birthing a vibe and morphing it through various forms. There is nothing like a good drummer laying down an arousing hip-hop beat, and it was Deitch’s role to do just that as the rhythmic center of the band, around which the other musical elements mixed and reacted in mystic alchemical fashion. His kinetically impactful drumming was instrumental in maintaining the sense of infectious excitement that lasted throughout the show. In the midst of the ever-shifting musical tapestry, guitarist Smirnoff would at times strum a groovy rhythm while Lee sent synth melodies snaking through the sonic ether. The Shady Horns would periodically punctuate instrumental passages with fiery harmonized jabs and contribute solos throughout the set. Other times the band would fall in behind Rahzel, CX or Bajah on the mic, or even back a vocal track with such delicacy that it would feel like the singer on the recording was present onstage. Coomes and Smirnoff of Lettuce brought their neo-funk musicality to the bass and guitar parts so that tunes envisioned and composed electronically became the living, breathing reality of the band killing it on the Brooklyn Bowl stage. Lee, the other half of the core duo, occupied center stage somewhat in the manner of an orchestra conductor, except that instead of waving a baton, he led the band by masterfully manipulating his rig of keyboards and electronics to dish out the hooks, harmonies and samples that are the heart and soul of Break Science’s music.

The cultural cornucopia that is Break Science should prompt a bit of reflection on what it is to be a part of or to bear witness to New York City’s musical traditions. It is truly awe-inspiring to see two guys who have been around the circuit so extensively bring together such a committed and well attuned cast of characters and utterly tear the roof off the sucker. But that’s just what Break Science does.

February 2, 2016
Proctors and Capital Rep Announce 2016-17 Series in Grand Fashion

When is a theater announcement more than just an announcement? When Proctors and Capital Repertory Theatre get together and present their 2016-17 KeyBank Subscription Series to the public in grand fashion.

This was more than just a presentation of 13 musicals, it was an event and a spectacle featuring performances from some of the shows that will grace stages in Albany and Schenectady in the coming year.

Presenting the lineups for each venue in a mock debate, Proctors CEO Philip Morris and theREP’s Producing Artistic Director Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill kept the audience laughing and cheering as they rolled out the Broadway shows that will come to the Capital Region for the first time, some on their first national tours. John Gray and Kydia Kulbida from WTEN offered commentary from the stage left upper box and kept the show flowing in between each well received announcement.

Proctors’ 2016 schedule includes the four-time Tony Award winning production An American in Paris, which will be seen for the first time outside of New York and Paris in October 2016. Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage arrives in November 2016, followed by The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which tells the tale of an autistic boy accused of a crime and his struggle to communicate his innocence, also in November 2016.

The first national tour of musical comedy Something Rotten! makes its way to Proctors in January 2017, followed by the Broadway blockbuster Wicked in March. The beloved story The Sound of Music is next in April 2017, while Roundabout Theatre Company brings Cabaret to Proctors in May 2017.

Among the most anticipated shows, which also received the largest applause, was Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, coming to Proctors in April 2017 for a limited engagement. Sara Sheperd performed two selections from the musical, “Will Your Still Love me Tomorrow” and “(You Make me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” to great fanfare.

Capital Repertory Theatre will offer a combination of classics, musical biographies and world premieres, including A Night with Janis Joplin, Outside Mullingar, NEXT ACT 5! New Play Summit, Camelot, Reluctant Wingman and An Iliad. By the end, when the stage was festooned with red, white and blue balloons, there was no question that Proctors and Capital Rep will bring a phenomenal lineup of musical theater to The Capital Region well into 2017.

February 2, 2016
Zuli at Le Poisson Rouge

Zuli took the stage at Le Poisson Rouge on Monday, January 25th, for their first Manhattan show of the year. The New York City based four-piece played a set involving strong three-part vocal harmonies, a complex instrumental cover and striking dynamic changes. I got the sense that the whole thing was admirably unlabored, despite the highly detailed musical composition, as the band moved between songs with a casual ease. Some thoroughly speedy guitar work, courtesy of frontman Zuli (Ryan Camenzuli), was underpinned by the nord electro keyboard and the bass, which made the songs followable, fun and accessible.

Zuli arrived just in time for their 9.30 slot, having played another set – in another borough, no less – just beforehand. A pretty intense schedule didn’t impede the joyous musical moves that were on display throughout their performance. A large room like LPR, when not-quite-full with the mixed crowd of a Monday night – fans, friends of the other bands, NYU juniors catching up after their Christmas breaks – can create an awkward vibe for some live bands. If Zuli sensed this difficulty at all, they tackled it with jesting stage banter, the settling of a beef about their favorite restaurant (it might, after all, be CJ’s), and a set full of rhythmic surprises emerging like bold rabbits pulled from sonorous hats. I sense that Zuli are not quite at their peak, yet: they’re probably building up momentum for the spring, when they’ll hit SXSW and the West coast. In the meantime, Zuli have a busy March lined up with shows DC, Charlotte, New Orleans and Phoenix.

February 1, 2016