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Robert Randolph and the Family Band played at Go! Studios in Chapel Hill, NC on December 11th. I had not seen them before, but I had heard some mp3's and The Word album, so I was really looking forward to the show. But I was not quite prepared for what I would witness. This was really one of the most enjoyable shows I've been to in a long while. It was sold out, so it was really crowded, and uncomfortably hot, but that didn't matter one bit. Simply put, Robert Randolph and his Family Band brought the house down. They turned a very small smoky club into a down-home revival spreading their good vibes to all within earshot.
This band is incredible. The musicianship was outstanding. All four members are amazing in their own right, and then together, it's just an onslaught of tight changes, incredible licks, soaring jams, and more soul than should be allowed by law. I was completely blown away.
Then these guys add another element that is sorely lacking these days - showmanship. They put on a show! Randolph is unbelievably fun to watch, dancing in his chair, slinging his head all around, laughing, pointing to the crowd and having a great time working his magic on the pedal steel. Sometimes it would get so good, he'd have to get up and dance for a few minutes, then he'd sit back down and resume ripping it up. Randolph led the band through upbeat, good time, head-bobbing, booty-shaking jams that jumped out at the audience, grabbed you by the neck and commanded you to move. Then he would take the mic in hand and command the crowd to sing, dance and holler. He has chops like very, very few musicians can ever hope to have and the showmanship and confidence of a tent-revival preacher mixed with James Brown.
If you can't a have a good time at a Robert Randolph Family Band show, then you can't have a good time at all.
There is another element, too... soul. These guys are playing from a very pure, very joyful, very special place, opening themselves up like a channel to put every bit of themselves into this music. These are four incredible musicians who like nothing more than playing together and spreading their joy and positive vibes to everyone... and they also enjoy sitting back and letting the music take them where it wants to go, and with these guys, it's an incredible journey.
GO SEE THE ROBERT RANDOLPH FAMILY BAND!! Your body and soul will thank you for taking them to the show!
Steven Stewart
JamBase | North Carolina
Go See Live Music
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