Category: Show Reviews

Woods are Gorgeous in Ithaca

Hot on the heels of the release of their new critically-acclaimed and fan-approved new album, City Sun Eater in the River of Light, Brooklyn-based Woods opened their tour in Ithaca at The Haunt. The quintet peppered their set with the newly minted tunes, all of which were being played for the first time.

The album pushes the band’s sound deeper into psychedelic grooves, heavily influenced by Ethiopian jazz. There was a fairly clear distinction between the new songs and the older material based on the advancement of their sound. Despite being opened fresh out of the box, they were masterfully tight and sounding like well-worn classics.

Fans had a couple of weeks to absorb the new tunes, and many in the crowd were singing along. But more than that, there was a familiarity with the new music, and each song was greeted with a smile as if to say, “Oh yeah, this is a good one.” As each successive new one was added into the mix, it became obvious, if it wasn’t already prior, that this new album was a keeper. as solid as anything in Woods’ catalog.

Lead singer and guitarist Jeremy Earl, guitarist Jarvis Taveniere, drummer Aaron Neveu, and bassist John Andrews were joined by new keyboard/sax/tambourine/backing vocalist Kyle Forester. He may have been playing his first show, but his presence was immediately felt as he aptly rounded out the sonic landscapes.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV1L-QyUay4[/embedyt]

Their highlight-worthy take on “The Take,” had Neveu getting dense beats with mallets, while Earl and Taveniere worked through some syncopated melodies. Eventually Neveu switched to sticks, pounding the song into a long trippy ride featuring some nice sax and guitar interplay that was reminiscent of some classic Traffic jams.

Their older material made strong appearances as well. They showcased their folksier side with “Cali in a Cup” and “Shepherd,” while a set-closing take on “With Light and With Love” gave a glimpse into the evolution that occured to arrive at their current sound. It was an adventure in rock and groove that wrapped up the evening perfectly.

Setlist:
Morning Light, Politics of Free, Leaves Like Glass, Hollow Home, Sun City Creeps, The Take, New Light, Cali in a Cup, Shepherd, Can’t See At All, Creature Comforts, With Light and with Love
E: Blood Dries Darker, Moving to the Left

April 27, 2016
Yonatan Gat Floors at the Bug Jar

Ex-Monotonix guitarist Yonatan Gat returned to the Bug Jar in Rochester and thoroughly scrambled the minds of all in attendance without ever taking the stage. The band set up, as they do for all of their shows regardless of venue, in the middle of the floor. Everyone always yearns to be as close to the stage as possible, and here they had the opportunity to be on the stage. Gat’s trio includes Gal Lazer, playing some of the most frenetic drums outside of the Muppet universe, and Sergio Sayeg holding down the fort on a powerfully grooving bass.Each member of the band is illuminated by a single floor lamp. Gat is lit with a red gel, the others bathed in green. Whenever a musician is playing the light remains on. When they take a break, whether it be just 5 seconds or a full minute, the light turns off. It’s somewhat of a mental improvisational exercise for the musicians. In addition to concentrating on they and their mates are playing, they also need to pay attention to their lighting. What at first feels a little gimmicky, is actually also a musical enhancement for the audience as well. Once privy to their system, you come to anticipate the next move. Like some Pavlovian experiment, when you see the light turn back on (particularly when it’s Lazer’s) you’re fully ready for the music to immediately turn up a notch.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aoa7TCVDgs[/embedyt]

Entirely instrumental, save for short period, on this evening, of indistinguishable chanting, is a world-infused psychedelic rock that is equal parts head-banging and head-swirling. In a nearly non-stop set they weaved in and out of themes from their 2015 release, Director. Melodies from “East to West,” “Casino Café” and “Theme From a Dark Party” all made their way into the ether over the course of an all-too short 40 minute set.

Improvisational bands often speak of connecting with their audience in ways that enhance the experience for musicians and on-lookers alike, giving each performance it’s own unique flavor. When the band exists within the audience, this effect is all the more apparent and effective. Though when you invite the crowd into your space, you certainly run some risk. As so happened on this night. An inebriated man stepped up and tried his hand at some unintelligible shout-singing into Gat’s mic. As it’s always interesting to see how a class comedian can handle a heckler, it was also telling to see how this one played out. The band initially worked the “singing” into it’s improv, jamming along with him, Gat seeming particularly amused with the ordeal. But when he overstayed his welcome, Lazer, taking advantage of the close-knit staging, reached out from his kit and quickly and forcefully grabbed the mic stand, ripping it to the ground without missing a beat. Problem solved.

With the short set and no encore, the crowd, easily doubled from Gat’s show last fall, left only wanting more. And when they come back, the audience will likely double in size again, to witness what is a wholly unique must-see live music experience.

April 26, 2016
Talking Bernie & 4/20

We sit around in the green room at The Hollow in Albany, NY, listening to the muffled sounds of Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets play their opening set of the 4/20 Party above us. From my left to my right sit Formula 5’s Joe Davis (guitar, vocals), Matt Richards (keys, synth, vocals), and James Woods (bass). They’re a great group of guys who have an incredible rapport, making fun of one another and seldom not laughing or smiling. It’s no wonder they have a symbiotic stage presence and ability to make the music talk to the crowd.

We start talking about the fact that they are playing their first official 4/20 party and what kind of importance the day has. Aside from the obvious sociopolitical talking points and stoner jokes, Joe quickly says, “It’s just another day,” which receives instant consensus from his bandmates. They talk about how the day does mean a lot to many people and it’s a great opportunity to play a show on a day that’s so widely celebrated.

Formula 5 is no stranger to playing in front of large crowds during massive celebrations. The Monday before, they played in front of 4,000 people at the Albany Rally for Bernie Sanders, at which the 2016 Democratic Presidential Candidate gave an invigorating and inspiring speech. When asked about their individual experiences they all gave answers filled with excitement and pride, reflecting on a day that they really didn’t see coming.

Matt’s friend, Brian Maier, organized the rally and invited Formula 5 to be the musical act to support Bernie. Since the event was planned and announced in short order, the band found out only two days before, on Saturday. “It all happened really quickly,” said Woods. “Matt let us know (Saturday night) that [the rally] was Monday morning.”

Load-in was Sunday night and first set started at 11 AM on Monday. It was an experience few bands ever get; organizing with Secret Service, playing for a large room where people attending were there for something other than music, and the intensity of meeting one of the most popular Presidential candidates in the history of the US.

“It was a sweet experience for us,” said Joe. “I had never been to a political rally or anything like that before. To go to one in my hometown and to be a part of it was pretty sweet.” He went on to talk about how, contrary to what he thought an event like that might be like, the energy was very high and attributed it to Bernie’s ability to really get a crowd excited about changing the country for the better.

Matt added that their exposure as a band has grown quite tremendously since being able to support Bernie Sanders at his rally. Playing for 4,000 people and getting publicly thanked by Bernie at the commencement of his speech has boosted their social media support by the hundreds and grew their video exposure by the thousands. “It was a very surreal experience playing to that many people,” he said. “It was very different from any show we’ve ever played; not just the experience, but the atmosphere itself.”

Being entertainment for the day, while not being the main attraction, along with the typical club security experience being replaced by Secret Service police officers made for a truly unique adventure. Matt was probably the most excited to talk about dealing with the Secret Service. “It was kind of cool just being backstage in an area where no one is allowed to be,” which is quite different from even the most strict security at the green room door. Matt continued to boast about Secret Service commanding him that he wasn’t allowed to be backstage and being able to reply, “No, I can. I actually can. I’m in the band.”

Even with Matt’s ability to tell those federal police officers what was what, they still had to follow strict protocol, especially when getting to meet Bernie after his speech was done. They were guided in very structured fashion to what they called, in unison, the “safe room.”

After we wrapped up our conversation they took the stage. They instantly galvanized the crowd by opening up with a flow of “Q&A” into Phish’s “Makisupa Policeman,” followed by “Pokeman Battle Theme” and then back into “Q&A.” For a relatively young band Formula 5 has an ability to act as one musical organism as if their 4 years was more like 14. They paid homage to the day of celebration by playing “Low Rider,” featuring Mister F’s Scott Hannay on synth, as well as laying down a crowd favorite “Legalize It” jam.

If you didn’t get a chance to see this 4/20 show, don’t fret. The momentum of Formula 5’s schedule won’t be stifled any time soon. Their summer is filled with great shows and festivals, some of which they couldn’t even share because of impending announcements. Their announced festival billings include Disc Jam and Ohana Music and Art Festival. They also have some exciting shows coming up including a few with Dude of Life, Steve Pollak, and his band, Fluid Druids. Keep an eye on Formula 5’s Facebook page and website to keep track of updates to their growing summer schedule.

April 26, 2016
Acting a Fool at the First Fool’s Paradise

The inaugural Fool’s Paradise two day concert was a fantastic weekend for visitors to the oldest city in the country, St. Augustine. The music flooded the St. Augustine Amphitheatre and featured Lettuce, Griz, Chris Robinson, and many more incredible artists. There were occasional showers in the forecast but nothing serious enough to deter the music lovers from dancing and enjoying the music. This event had a wonderful first year and offered some unique activities reminiscent to jam cruise.

On Friday at six the power duo Goldfish took the stage. The two multi-instrumentalists are currently touring South America, The United States, and Europe, sharing their latest release Games Continued. After watching a few minutes of Goldfish their talent is impossible to deny. Both musicians hail from the most southern tip of Africa and have been called, “the duo to see this year.” The duo play upright bass, flute, saxophone, and synthesizers.

Up next was Lettuce who played a powerful set that got everyone dancing and set the tone for the rest of the evening. Following was fellow headliner Griz. The set was powerful, dynamic and was the perfect mix of funk, and electronic jams. Mid set Lettuce joined Griz for a perpetual groove that radiated from everyone’s feet up through their fingertips. The energy was high and the audience absorbed the music and recycled its energy into non-stop dancing.

The music ended at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre at 10:30 due to the venue’s proximity to local residents. This was by no means the end of the party. Many attendees had previously purchased late night show tickets for sets that would be held in the Elk’s Lodge which was practically on the premises. Friday night’s late night featured both Vulfpeck and Lettuce side project Break Science.

It was previously mentioned that Fool’s Paradise is reminiscent of Jam Cruise because of the fun and exciting excursions that could be taken with the artists. The excursion tickets were sold separately and included mini golf with Jesus Coomes, and Adam Deitch of Lettuce, sailing with Shady Horns and a zip-line adventure Borham Lee at The Alligator Farm The greatest part of these excursions was being up close and intimate with the artist doing something you both like.

The amphitheater also had a healthy array of eats and crafts vendors to explore.

The Shipwreck Stage, located near vendor row in the parking lot of the amphitheater started the party rocking each day before the amphitheater stage opened.

Saturday began with the Groove Orient, and Herd of Watts on the Shipwreck Stage. After the stage closed for the weekend, Brasstracks started the amphitheater grooving. Nikki Glaspie and the Nth Power followed and brought the funk. Vulfpeck took the stage at five-thirty and also provided some background music for a spontaneous wedding which happened right on the amphitheater stage. The crowd cheered for the happy couple as they eagerly read their unique self-penned vows.

Vulfpeck was quite engaging with the audience and lead everyone in singing three part harmonies while dancing to their funky beats. One thing is undeniable, each member of the band is extremely versatile. Every few songs the guys would switch instruments with each other, transforming their whole sound. The lead singer was especially energized because it was his 30th birthday. He took a picture and sent it to his mom for all the people at the festival.

Chris Robinson’s Soul Revue was a once in a lifetime line up. The band’s all-star cast featured George Porter Jr. of The Meters, Ivan Neville, Nikki Glaspie, Eric Krasnoyarsk and Neal Casal featuring the Shady Horns. The bass was thumping and the horns wailing. Their set was definitely one of the high points of the weekend.

The artist at large was Cory Henry of Snarky Puppy. Henry effortlessly alternated from keys to drums numerous times and was a great addition to every band that he sat in with.

Lettuce’s final set also featured Nigel Hall, and Cory Henry. Late night sets followed at the Elk’s Lodge with Goldfish and Fools of Funk which was a collaboration between some of the members of Lettuce, Nigel Hall, Weedie Braimah, Eric “Benny” Bloom, Ryan Zoidis, and Cory Henry.

Fool’s Paradise was an intense, fun, and funky weekend in an amazing venue. The St. Augustine Amphitheater has excellent amenities and terrific staff. Purple Hat Productions did a bang up job in creating such an incredible concert. The talent was limitless, the production quality was seamless. The crowd was harmonious. See you next year in Fool’s Paradise After year one you can expect anything to happen in paradise.

April 25, 2016
Killswitch Engage Brings Metal to Binghamton

Hardcore metal fans were out in force this past week in upstate New York. On April 15, 2016 Killswitch Engage rolled into the Magic City Music Hall in Binghamton, along with guests Toothgrinder, Memphis May Fire and 36 Crazy Fists.

Fists were pumping, bodies were slamming, moshing and surfing and all horns were thrown in full fledged tribute to heavy metal with a packed house of well over 1000 fans in attendance. Toothgrinder from Asbury Park, NJ started the night off at 7:30 followed by Anchorage, Alaska based metal legends 36 Crazy Fists and finally Memphis May Fire, hailing from Dallas, Texas who performed an inspiring 40 minute set with a few of their hits including “Beneath The Skin”, “Stay The Course” and “Vices.”

All three opening acts set the stage for “Killswitch Engage,” who took the stage at 10:10 p.m. and brought an hour and fifteen minute non-stop assault to the revved up crowd in Binghamton. Frontman Jesse Leech led the metal onslaught along with the shredding guitar duo of Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel and the thunderous earth shaking bass of Mike D’Antonio and drummer Justin Foley.

Killswitch, from Westfield, MA performed a whopping seventeen song set list that included tracks from five studio albums such as Alive and Breathing, The End of Heartache, As Daylight Dies, Disarm the Descent and their newest studio album just released in March, Incarnate.

Killswitch came out hitting hard with the number four track “Strength of Mind” off their new chart topping album Incarnate. From there they went on to perform “A Bid Farewell”, “Numbered Days” and “Alone I Stand”, the first track off the new album.

Metal fans were not disappointed as all four bands from different corners of the U.S. brought the house down with a massive sound, tons of high packed energy and crowd involvement. Killswitch continues its year-long tour in support of Incarnate throughout 2016, eventually heading to Europe on June 3, then back to the North America on July 17 before heading back to Europe for November and December dates.

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Setlist: Strength of Mind, A Bid Farwell, Numbererd Days, Alone I Stand, Beyond The Flames, The Arms of Sorrow, The New Awakening, Hate by Design, Take This Oath, Always, This Fire Burns, Rose of Sharyn, Embrace the Journey, My Last Serenade, The End of Heartache, My Curse, and In Due Time

April 24, 2016
Pink Talking Fish, Aqueous Energize Putnam Den

After a muggy day in the Capital Region, two regional bands – Pink Talking Fish and Aqueous – took to the stage at the Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs and saturated an already soggy crowd with funk and fun, sprinkled with some purple.

Buffalo favorites Aqueous started the show around 9:30 p.m., leaping right into “Aldehyde,” which saw snazzy work on the wah pedal from guitarist Mike Gantzer. Slowly bleeding into “Origami,” Aqueous had a few stop and starts led by interim drummer Rob Houk, who is in the running to take over as full-time drummer.

“Complex Pt. I,” “Peaches” > “Warren in the Window” and “Numbers and Facts” rounded out the well executed setlist. During “Warren,” Gantzer and fellow guitarist Dave Loss heavily teased Phish’s “Meatstick” that was greeted with an uproarious cheer from the half-full crowd. “Peaches,” a cover of a song by the Presidents of the USA, was the crowd favorite of the set, with everyone belting, in unison, the catchy chorus.

Following a short break, Pink Talking Fish emerged, with guitarist Dave Brunyak playing a few melodies over the house music. Wasting no space or time, the band kicked off two sets with “In the Flesh”>”Tube”>”Life During Wartime,” and a final reprisal of “Tube,” with Brunyak nailing the bluesy ending that Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio wrote into the diddy.

“Have A Cigar”>”Wild Wild Life”>”Simple”>”Pigs” brought a mellow, then rocking mood to the set. Bassist Eric Gould led the segment, bopping the band through some of Phish, Talking Heads and Pink Floyd’s most iconic songs.

“This Must Be The Place”>”Fearless”>”Esther Interlude”>”Run Like An Antelope” completed the set, giving a sweaty crowd a much needed breather. The second set featured “Ghost,” with an irregular breakdown in the middle, and “Money,” complete with the opening and closing cash register noise from the original.

“The Lizards”>”Crosseyed and Painless”>”One of these Days”>”Lizards” was easily the highlight. The band doesn’t seem to miss even a single note, making this group of musicians maybe the only capable people to get up and perform the music of three of rock’s most beloved groups.

In fitting fashion, the band covered Prince’s “Purple Rain” (a song Phish has been performing for years) as a tribute to the passing of the Purple One. “Loving Cup” sent the crowd home happy and satiated.

Aqueous

Putnam Den, Saratoga Springs

Set 1: Aldehyde > Origami, Complex Pt. I, Peaches > Warren in the Window, Numbers and Facts

Notes: Meatstick [Phish] and Linus and Lucy [Vince Guaraldi] teases in Warren

Pink Talking Fish

Set 1:
In The Flesh>
Tube>
Life During Wartime>
Tube
Have A Cigar>
Wild Wild Life>
Simple>
Pigs (3 Different Ones)>
This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
Fearless*>
Esther Interlude>
Run Like An Antelope

Set 2:
Moon Rocks>
Ghost>
Money>
Making Flippy Floppy**>
Timber Ho>
Young Lust
The Lizards>
Crosseyed And Painless
One Of These Days***>
The Lizards
Cities
Seamus>
Birds Of A Feather

E:
Purple Rain%
Loving Cup

*w/ Prince Caspian tease
**w/ Rift tease
***w/ “Still Waiting” vocals
%solo piano performance by Richard James

April 23, 2016
Photo Gallery – Marco Benevento at the Music Hall of Williamsburg

Marco Benevento returned to his native Brooklyn to celebrate the release of his most recent record, The Story of Fred Short. The Music Hall of Williamsburg offered an intimate and comfortable backdrop for the energetic, smart, and at times quirky tunes that would fill the near two hour set.

Anyone who has been to a show with Marco in the driver’s seat, or even riding shotgun, can attest that you won’t leave disappointed. Supporting him on this Saturday night was Andy Borger on drums, and Karina Rykman on bass. The trio was joined during the encore by Mikaela Davis on harp and Katie Jacoby on violin, kicking the set up just one more notch. Fortunately for anyone who missed out, there are more shows in the near future for you to soak up all the aforementioned ear candy (line-up subject to change). Till then, enjoy this photo gallery highlighting a few moments from the evening.

April 22, 2016
The New Mastersounds Return to Brooklyn Bowl

The New Mastersounds’ extensive U.S. tour is under way with the first of three concerts at the Brooklyn Bowl on Thursday, coming after a quick appearance at Wannee Festival. Opening a three-night residency on a Thursday gave fans a unique opportunity to see a band deliver a compelling show to a small weeknight crowd while also gearing up for the rest of a big weekend. The jazz-funk quartet from Leeds, UK, was supported by Brooklyn’s own Moon Hooch.

Moon Hooch put on an opening performance that was brimming with creativity and authenticity. Their music is a sort of new wave-influenced EDM brought to life with an arsenal of carefully selected acoustic and electronic instruments. The compositions are rooted in tight dance rhythms precisely metered out by drummer James Muschler. Mike Wilbur’s saxophone melodies typically take the lead while Wenzl McGowen produces womping bass lines using anything from a contrabass clarinet to a baritone sax to a woodwind MIDI controller. Song arrangements did vary in surprising ways, though, such as when
Muschler sat down on the floor of the stage to provide some excellent tabla playing or when Wilbur delivered a dope rap verse. All three members of the trio proved themselves to be versatile and cleverly skilled. Moon Hooch’s set had a spiritual undertone throughout, made explicit at times by slowed down samples of Alan Watts and McGowen’s closing remarks about imaginal cells, which turn caterpillars into butterflies.

The New Mastersounds kicked off their set with characteristic pep and never slowed down for a second. Their brand of bouncy, uptempo jazz riffing was infectious and immutable. Drummer Simon Allen propelled the band with giddy enthusiasm. Bassist Pete Shand was an endless fountain of rhythmic momentum and complex harmony. Some of the most ebullient soloing came from keyboardist Joe Tatton’s organ. Guitarist and bandleader Eddie Roberts defined the character of each tune with a steady cascade of jazz-funk techniques. The set consisted pretty much entirely of cheery, major key groovers. Whatever it may have lacked in emotional range, it more than made up for in intensity. The buzz that the band created was one of pure joy and vigor. Even as the Thursday night crowd began to thin towards the end of the performance, the remaining audience was huddled in front of the stage, soaking in every moment of what came to feel like a very intimate musical experience. The band seemed to be projecting a humble appreciation for the setting and to be gearing up for the remaining shows on Friday and Saturday. These weekend shows are likely to see larger turnout and even more fiery performances from The New Mastersounds.

April 21, 2016
NYC welcomes Journey with “Open Arms”

Like Saturday Night Live is to NYC, Journey is a household name in rock music. Since their inception in 1973, the band continues to tour tirelessly every year, rocking audiences of all ages and all over the world who welcome them with open arms.

The guys made a pit stop at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night while on their short stint with the legendary Carlos Santana.

A Journey show never disappoints, regardless if they are your all time favorite band in the world or you’ve merely sang (or screamed) “Don’t Stop Believin” at 3am in some random, dark bar in the East Village. You will love every minute of the show. The old favorites come back to you like it was yesterday, fielding distant memories from years gone by, you are sure to leave with the swagger of an 18 year-old.

The band started the night with “Separate Ways,” followed by “Be Good to Yourself,” and right into “Open Arms.” And after a Neal Schon guitar segue, one of my personal favorites, “Stone in Love” cracked the crowd wide open.

The humility and gracious nature of singer Arnel Pineda is purely contagious. Where we once thought there could be no replacement for Steve Perry, Arnel takes our experience to a fresh and creative new level. His soft as suede voice and unbridled excitement reminds us that anything is possible and your wildest dreams can come true if you dare.

Sunglassed and sleek, guitarist Neal Schon is the backbone of Journey and has been since the beginning. As he meticulously picks his emerald green Gibson, you can sense the greatness that lurks behind those dark shades.

Iconic songwriter and piano man, Jonathan Cain, is responsible for some of the most infectious love songs in the 20^th century. As an intro to “Faithfully,” he stated:

“This song was written on a late night bus ride from NYC, I was the new guy in the band and there was this moment when I realized we were family, sort of like a traveling circus, that’s where the inspiration for “Faithfully” came.”

During this tear-jerking melody, a lovely photo montage of fans and life on the road were displayed behind them.

As the night came to a close and my eyes caught the distant silhouettes of fans bowing from the stage left side seats, Journey ended the evening with “Don’t Stop Believin’,” followed by “Any Way You Want It” and an encore of “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin.”

The ‘journey’ continues across the nation until September, don’t miss this legendary band.

April 20, 2016
Turkuaz Ends Sold Out 3 Night Run at Brooklyn Bowl

On Saturday April 9, Brooklyn’s own Turkuaz closed out their three-night run to a sold out crowd at Brooklyn Bowl.

After the opening band, Sidewalk Chalk, began heating up the room to a simmer, Turkuaz brought the crowd to full on boil with their opening song “Lika” from their 2015 Digitonium release. Next up was “Chatte Lunatique” off of the Zerbert album, which had the crowd, brass section and backup vocalists bopping up and down in synch. Each band member sported their own signature, color-coded Members Only jacket on stage, reminiscent of a funky bag of Skittles that had somehow taken human form and hypnotized the Brooklyn Bowl. By the fourth song, and their first cover, Sam and Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Comin’” everyone from the back bar to the front of stage could taste the rainbow as the classic soul tune raged on.

The band took a minute to wipe the sweat from their faces before tackling “Lift It Up” into their most listened-to Spotify tune, “Bubba Slide,” off the Future 86 album. “Who were you two days ago/I’ll be damned if you should know,” are the opening lyrics to “Bubba” and on the third night of transformational Brooklyn run, the words took on a different meaning. There was a feeling in the room that something special was happening. We were witnessing a new brand of funk while simultaneously time-traveling to the golden age of the genre.

The 9-piece jammed on with a few more originals before capping off the first set with their second cover of the night, “I’ve Got a Feeling” by a band founded far away from Williamsburg, The Beatles. Just before the cover began, the audience started to thin out for a fresh beer or cigarette during what was sure to be the break of an already stellar set until they heard the opening riff to this Let it Be classic. People began sprinting back inside to be part of the action and as the cigarette flames were extinguished outside, a new fire started within. Since the last time Turkuaz ignited the Brooklyn Bowl flame in 2015, the band’s sound has evolved through hard work, relentless touring and attention to their craft. Ask any die-hard Turkuaz fan and they will tell you that the band gets better every time you see them in Brooklyn. Smiles covered the group’s faces as they proudly sang the symbolic lyrics “Everybody had a good year, everybody let their hair down, everybody pulled their socks up, everybody put their foot down.” Oh, yeah!

Set two’s energy picked off right where the first left off as Taylor Shell’s bass pumped out an extra groove-able intro to the Digitonium tune, “Doktor Jazz.” As if the band wasn’t hot enough on their own, they called upon James Casey (Trey Anastasio Band) and his saxophone wizardry to add some gasoline to the blaze. The band was just getting started as Casey exited the stage after a short lived, but memorable sit-in. The crowd appeared to have stretched their legs during set break as they put on an all-out dance clinic during the sexy “Desert Island,” “Coast to Coast,” “E.Y.E. (Lookin’ Good)” threesome of originals.

An extended version of “Tired of Talkin’” led the band to show the heavily-breathing crowd mercy after “Digital Love” to cool things down for a moment, well, slightly. As the second set was coming to a close each member was placed under the spotlight during “Gogo, Mr. Dodo,” but especially Shira Elias, who was dressed like a feminine synth pop version of the yellow Power Ranger. She definitely took lead on this second-set highlight as she shook the Brooklyn Bowl with her soulful pipes.

As Sunday morning was officially upon us, the band came out to cover one more song, The Talking Heads, “Take Me To The River.” Since the early days of Turkuaz, it has been no secret that the Heads have been one of the main influences from their tongue-in-cheek lyrics to their strange attire and genre melting sound. “Take Me To The River” may be one of the most covered and influential songs on the jam-band or funk circuit in the past 40 years and this group absolutely nailed their take on the Al Green penned piece. The climax came after the band collectively dropped the crowd into the funky waters of the venue.

Hours after the show ended the caption on the Turkuaz Facebook page reads, “This was truly one of the most special weekends we’ve experienced as a band.” After that power-funk spectacle, it is safe to say that the growing fan base had a pretty special weekend as well.

April 20, 2016