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The Kolab | 02.25.04 | The Gypsy Lounge | Lake Forest, CA
The Orange County Music Awards have been going on for over a month now, coming to a close last night with a performance by The Kolab, who is nominated for best new band. With a musical bond among the members that has spanned over ten years, through several lineups and side projects, leading to the current one, The Kolab brought a unique blend of rock, trance, funk, and electronic bliss.
J. Cast & Robby Fabregas |
Laying down the rock solid backdrop on five-string bass, Robby Fabregas found his space early on, plunking and funking along the fret board only to look up to deliver snapping lyrics that flowed out through The Gypsy Lounge causing gyrating, white knuckles, and just the right amount of ease to demand attentiveness without having to smack the hell out of his instrument. With the impeccable timing on the kit, Greg Inverso reminded me a bit of Butch Trucks, tucked back with his monster head phones on, centered in on channeling rhythms that formed a percussive beast with the thumping bass lines tossed out by Robby. On keys, synthesizers, guitar, special effects, and vocals is Keatly Haldeman, the mastermind behind the organism that is The Kolab. With a background in drumming and sound engineering, Keatly is well trained and expresses absolute passion for the music he creates. Using samples and computer generated effects, it is Keatly who procures the space sounds that can tweak out an entire crowd and rest them back safely on the ground. Though Keatly produced the band's debut album Thieves of Change, The Kolab belongs to all of the members, but it is clear that this is Keatley's baby.
The main ingredient that is causing this young band to grow into a driving musical force is the crafty axe work by the very talented J. Cast. With influences rooted deep in '80s rock and funk, J. possesses all ingredients needed for the makings of a front man. Heels planted, he bounces along the path ahead of him, skanking, screaming, and caressing all the notes at all the right times.
Robby Fabregas |
Set one kicked off with "Spotlight." Think of what music would be like if there was a Studio 54 on the moon. Much in the way that Particle sounds like a soundtrack to a space porno, Kolab brings a similar phrase in description, not so much porno, but a hell of a soundtrack getting all things flowing in preparation for the actual porn bit. With tight song structure, The Kolab leaves small bits of room to run off in a lengthy jam, but one must realize that is not what they are all about. They focus more on bringing sounds that you won't find elsewhere, and if they can't find the sound, they will invent it and throw it on your lap without so much as a wince of hesitation. Tearing through "Cross Fade" and "My Beats," the band sent out a wave that washed over the lounge. Soon more and more people started to shuffle in from on the street, pulled in like metal to a magnet. When these boys are on, they are on... plain and simple. The next song, "Metro," proved to be a time capsule taking all in attendance back to the early '80s, reminiscent of sounds that would bitch slap Duran Duran right out of the water. The last two songs proved to be the meat of the set with "Sugar Spot" moving into "Hear This." Both songs speak highly of the creativity The Kolab brings to the table. Robby found his groove so intoxicating, he even managed to break a string on his bass. After asking if anyone in the audience had a five string bass on them, J. Cast began to stir the pot again, jumping right into "Get On That Beat," the last song of the night. With strong funkdified bass, rock solid drumming all night, time traveling space soundtracks coming from Keatly, and pure skill and craftsmanship on the guitar, The Kolab brought their A game and when all was said and done, surprise and bewilderment swept through the crowd. The only thing anyone could think to mutter was, "Where can I buy a CD?"
Completely self contained, The Kolab is promising great things. While recording in their own studio, under INVADIO, their own label, the sky is the limit for these Orange County natives... but something tells me they are not the type of guys who would stop at the sky--they'll go straight into space. Look to their website to find out more about this truly unique and talented group of guys that are pushing the envelope and creating new sounds. To hear a bit of this alien space funk, or to buy the new album, log onto thekolab.com.
Words by: Matt Layton
Images by: Adam Campbell
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