This was a show that I've been looking forward to for quite a while. I've been a Michael Franti fan since the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy but I've never seen him live. Wisely, I purchased tickets ahead of time because it was sold out. The large crowd brings up a number of trade offs. There wouldn't be much personal space but I knew it would help create the social vibe that you can only get with a bigger scene. Another downside is that it also limited my ability to get good pictures. Still, the music and the moment are more important than the photos.
Alan Vasquez
Sorry for the poor quality photo -- I wasn't nearly as close as I'd have liked to have been. Not just for the photo but also to get a better look at his equipment. As you can see, he has an interesting setup. Alan Vasquez loops acoustic guitar along with electric bass, percussion, vocal sounds, and other bits of electronica. His acoustic sounds as though it's been tuned more into the treble guitar range and he often throws a bit of echo and flange into the signal. His bass is mounted on a stand so he can reach over to add parts. To stage left, he has a table set up with a laptop and various other goodies. This lays the foundation for a frenetic visual show. Alan is a hyperactive performer, constantly bouncing. He even treats his acoustic like another percussion instrument, slapping at it (almost spastically). He tends to zip through a lot of fast rhythmic passages with a little less focus on clean technique and traditional melody, although he has those skills, especially some nice classical chops. The first song was typical of the set - it started with an intense repetitive acoustic riff that eventually mutated into a dance club sound ("oonce, oonce";-). For the most part, the songs were instrumental, using the voice as another instrument. He did sing on the last song, which had a grooving calypso feel. The crowd really enjoyed his set and caught the energy as he built up his songs. All in all, this complemented Michael Franti: it didn't overlap so much stylistically but it did have some of the same bounciness.Michael Franti, with J Bowman
This was an interesting concert to review because I came with a lot of expectations. I've enjoyed Michael Franti and Spearhead but I have a special place in my heart for Franti's Live at the Baobab (2000). This is a beautifully created album that features stripped down arrangements of Spearhead material with a relaxed "living room" kind of feel. That's what I was imagining when I bought my ticket. That dream broke down the moment I walked into the theater. The place was packed and primed to party. The last two albums (Yell Fire and All Rebel Rockers) provide a stronger world music vibe than some of the R&B feel that the older material had, so, musically, this show was coming from a different place. Honestly, it was hard to let go of that ideal Franti solo show in my head.Fortunately, the first notes of Hello Bonjour, from Yell Fire, stripped away any disappointment I might have held. The energy bouncing between the performers and the audience was incredible. Michael makes it look effortless to form a tight bond with the crowd. Every time he called for people to put their hands up, jump, clap, or sing along, the whole crowd joined in with a will. He had some able backing with guitarist J Bowman. J was a high energy clown to Michael's warm earnestness. J would run across the stage to interact with the audience, grinning goofily. He'd exhort the audience to clap or sing, then immerse himself into a heavy solo along with an over-the-top guitar face.
The setlist leaned heavily to the last two albums, with songs like East to the West, Sweet Little Lies, and others from Yell Fire and Rude Boys Back in Town, A Little Bit of Riddem, I Got Love For You and others from All Rebel Rockers. This last song was the point of a personal story Franti told about his dad, talking about the ability to change and connect with people. I Got Love For You is about letting his own son move out into the world. It was a deeply personal story that set up the song and emphasized Franti's genuine humanity.
There were some older songs thrown in, like Ganja Babe and Sometimes. All through the set, everybody was singing along: new or old, these were all serious fans. There were also a couple of cover moments, with bits of Don't Look Back (the Temptations), Casey Jones, and Our House (Madness).More important than the setlist, this concert was a social ritual, featuring the sacraments of joyous music, carefree dancing, and political optimism. Sure, a cynic could dismiss it all as a hippy love fest but that would miss the point of a group of people ignoring the darkness outside (economic, social, etc) and taking heart in a voice asserting that "everyone deserves music." At the end of the show I was exhausted (I had gotten up early to judge at a homebrew competition during the day) but happy.
Pair this up with a crisp Vienna style lager (malty but not overly sweet) along with the contact high I think I picked up and we'll be ready to dance all night.
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