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When Las Vegas’s Legends Lounge handpicked Mood Food with special guest, Vince Welnick, to play the last two nights of its lengthy existence, everyone knew there would be a large and excited crowd. However, no one could have foreseen that the eager music fans, hoping to catch an earful of the band’s virtuosity, would pack the club so far beyond capacity that the front doors had to be shut. Those smart or lucky enough to have arrived early were rewarded with a lush and majestic musical experience. The energy reflected in the smiling faces and dancing bodies of the crowd was equaled only by the intense performance of the musicians themselves.
From the very first note of music, the audience was captivated. Out of the silent but electric anticipation came the sounds of bassist Andrew McIntyre thumping out a staunch backbone of rhythm as Mood Food embarked upon an original song, “Larry Palmetto.” As the crowd absorbed Andrew’s deep bass, Mitch Marcus, tenor saxophone, and Sylvain Carton, alto saxophone (he also doubles as a guitar player), played a riveting melody that took the crowd's high level of energy and turned into a frenzy of dancing bodies and swaying heads.
Despite the fact that Legends Lounge typically hosts bands more suited to a standard Dead show, a category Mood Food would definitely not fit into, the crowd gave their attention to even the most subtle aspects of the band’s musical journey. Sylvain’s soloing skills were put on display when the band launched into “Alien and the Walk of George Jefferson,” as he weaved together an intricate melody over the rhythm emanating from the group. The band guided and escalated the mood of the crowd as they built from a hopping groove to a steady jam. This night’s version of Mitch’s composition, “Estrella,” was made unforgettable as, Damon Hope, Mood Food's newest member, demonstrated his talented touch and accent on the drums before the band molded the song into the Dead standard, “They Love Each other,” written by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter. Mood Food was not content just to do a basic cover of the tune, as they sped up the rhythm and showcased Sylvain’s nimble bluegrass guitar. Mood Food truly made "TLEO" their own before smoothly molding it back into “Estrella.”
The crowd gave back everything they were given by cheering loudly, and Mood Food returned the favor by showing its versatility with “The Face,” a song that opens with a distinctive drum n' bass sound. The funky, dance driven sounds were then followed by the deep rolling and pumping of Mitch’s sax before being joined by Sylvain’s alto horn. Guitarist Tom Lattanand then took over with some seriously nasty licks before settling into a laid back but fiery intensity while percussionist Jon Merrill hit the crowd with his congas as his intricate rhythms interacted extremely well with Damon's groove.
The effect of this musical onslaught left the crowd in a state of awe as the mood was set for the unprecedented funkiness of the bands version of the Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street.” The crowd danced and jumped while the song melted into a valley of sound sprinkled with the soulful voice of Vince Welnick. The rhythm section then exploded into the Latin sounding Steely Dan song “I Got the News,” as the crowd cheered, danced, and grooved together. As the band left the stage, the relentless roar from the crowd did not halt, and the band reemerged to play their encore, a visceral version of The Beatles’ “You Never Give Me Your Money.” Mood Food ingeniously inserted a dark and brooding horn melody to contrast with the more upbeat melody of the piano to make their version distinct and imaginative. As the ecstatic music listeners began to go home their happiness was compounded by the realization that the sounds they witnessed were just the beginning, because Mood Food and Vince were just warming up.
The second night exemplified why Legends Lounge wanted Mood Food to be the final band to ever play its' stage. The bands musical momentum is beginning to culminate into a lasting presence in the Bay Area music scene and this final show at a Vegas mainstay only further demonstrated why Mood Food is a must-see. The crowd exuded a hushed intensity when the band took the stage, and when Mood Food launched into one of their classics “The Antipasto,” the overjoyed crowd pushed towards the stage and began to dance. The song displayed their uncanny skill for improvisation as the fresh solos grooved to the funky, lilting beat. Their composition “Diamond Chant” showed how the band is able to travel effortlessly from a tight groove into a spacey musical interaction and back while riding the throaty twists and turns of Mitch’s tenor sax. Then Vince, with the crowd joining in, sang “Way to Go Home,” a song he wrote with the Grateful Dead, and explored by Mood Food through a new horn arrangement.
Mood Food then leaped into a memorable medium tempo medley that began with the Dead’s “Help On the Way,” into “Slipknot,” and then by way of a tight imaginative transition, into Herbie Hancock’s “Sly.” Sylvan’s alto pushed the sound forward as Tom’s rocket guitar solo, reminiscent of John McGlaughlin, uplifted the crowds mood to an even a higher peak before beginning “Stuck in Detroit,” a cool and low down groove that features Tom on vocals.
The band continued to take the crowd all over the musical map by covering “Cross-Eyed and Painless,” a Talking Heads tune, that Mood Food had written a new horn arrangement for and showed how well integrated the band is while giving the crowd an opportunity to hear Jon Merril give a rare vocal performance. The band then played “Field Trip,” a Mood Food classic and historically a crowd favorite, for their dedicated music fans. Tom played a vivid rhythmic guitar solo as he steered his sound into one chord before he and Vince began to sing “Suspension Loop,” a Mood Food composition with a dark melody. The crowd was then wowed by a version of The Beatles' “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey.” Mood Food really opened up this cover by extending it outward as Tom and Vince traded sumptuous solos. The third set ended with another Beatles song, “Tomorrow Never Knows.” Vince really let loose with his vocals and incited a contagious, happy cheer in the crowd.
After resounding chants for Mood Food began to bounce and echo off the wall, the band retuned and played "Standing on the Moon," an encore meant to please the many Grateful Dead fans in the crowd. In fact, most described it as “over the top” and “a fitting end” to the many nights they had spent at Legend’s Lounge. However, it wasn’t the end, because the crowd was determined to coax the band out for one more, final song. The room felt as if it might explode if Mood Food did not return for another song, when sure enough they stepped out on stage and began “Lord Sainez’s Evil Domain,” an original that they call a “shaker.” Indeed, every part of everyone’s being began to move and shake to this San Francisco Mission influenced, Latin jazz flavored song. The band’s musical force grew until the adrenaline and spirit of two nights reached a funky zenith. The crowd screamed and clapped showing their heartfelt appreciation.
While Las Vegas’s Legends Lounge is no more, thanks to Mood Food and those amazing shows, the Lounge will definitely be remembered by those lucky enough to have been there the last two nights.
Josh Bevitz
JamBase | Vegas
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