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Photos by Dino Perrucci
This one was a no brainer: Robert Randolph & The Family Band, 80 degree Saturday afternoon, and the last remaining outdoor beer garden in New York City. But before reviewing the music at hand, I would be doing this event a great injustice if I didn’t describe the venue. The Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden is a huge, open fenced-in area that had the perfect amount of tree shade, long picnic tables, friendly security and very reasonable beer prices – something not commonplace in the City. Anyway, the weather was perfect for afternoon drinking and some really incredible music.
The doors opened at 2:00pm and the music started shortly after that, with opening sets by the Lost Trailers and Topaz. Both were treats, especially Topaz. They laid down some serious funk and morphed the crowd into full-on dance mode. Even those sitting at the picnic tables were bobbing their heads and forgetting about their beers and conversations to listen into the beats Topaz was throwing down.
At around 5:00pm, I began making my way up to the front of the stage and saw turntables set up, and found out that DJ Logic and a few guys from Soulive were backstage. Sure enough, at 5:30pm when Randolph, Danyell, Marcus and John took the stage, they were joined by Soulive guitarist Eric Krasno, who hung for the majority of the set. Now I must apologize for not knowing the entire set list, but they opened with a ripping tune, I think it's “Run For Your Life.” To my excitement, Kraz had his shares of solos, but it was Randolph who set the tone with his handiwork on the pedal steel. In general, the band has this incredible knack for returning to the bridge of their songs many times, and it never gets boring or old, but rather gets more intense each time.
Some highlights were found in “The March,” during which Randolph invited a few folks from the audience to come on stage and learn the march. Included in this bunch was a dad with his young daughter on his shoulders. It seemed everyone was willing to be saved by the sacred steel. There was also a possessed version of “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” full of teases out of the Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams.” By this time, DJ Logic was adding to the full sound coming off the small stage, poking his sonic sounds in obscure spots. Also in the set was a version of Sly and the Family Stone’s “I Want to Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” with a segue into a version of “Voodoo Chile” that would make Hendrix proud. During this huge jam, Soulive saxman Sam Kinninger joined the rest of the band and chimed in with some great solos of his own. Once again, however, it was Randolph’s contagious energy that carried the show. It’s hard not to scream out and shout when he’s jammin' on the pedal steel or dancing around the stage to the gospel groove set by the rest of the band.
Logic, Kraz and Sam left the stage and the band closed the over two hour set with “Tears of Joy.” During this absolutely relentless jam, Randolph had the entire crowd literally jumping for joy. This is the type of jam that will keep me going to Family Band shows for as long as I can. Just when you think they can’t take it any higher, they dig into this extra power source and have you shakin' your hips as hard as you can, and raisin' your arms like it's Sunday mornin' with Mama.
They returned for one encore, “Pressin My Way.” As was the case all afternoon this song came out blazing with intensity, and after nearly two and a half hours of music, I left the show with a gospel buzz that I’m still feeling today.
Scott Grossman
JamBase | NYC
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