Chris Bullock, Bob Reynolds (tenor); Mike “Maz” Maher (trumpet/flugel); Justin
Stanton (trumpet/ keyboards); Bill Laurance (keyboards); Chris McQueen (guitar);
Michael League (bass); Larnell Lewis (drums); Marcelo Woloski (percussion).
(Review by Hugh C/collage by Lance & Steve T).
The Brooklyn-based collective
returned to Gateshead three years after their knockout performance in Sage 2. The
last time they were here, bassist Michael League told us, they had looked
admiringly into Sage 1, little knowing that they would be back with a near
capacity crowd on levels 1 and 2.
Snarky Puppy's considerable
retinue of equipment was already on the stage at the start of the concert. House of Waters' gear flowed away during the
interval. The stage was set, the house
was full and this time the band entered to enthusiastic applause and vocal
encouragement. They proceeded to play a
more or less continuous ninety minutes of high octane music, the majority from
their latest album, Culcha Vulcha.

The band were admirably
supported by newly signed GroundUP artists, House of Waters. Michael League (entering the house to
unexpected silence) introduced the newcomers and their novel format of hammer dulcimer (Max ZT), six string
electric bass (Moto Fukushima) and drums (Luke Notary). The trio played the first 30 minute set
before the interval. They featured both
previous material and tracks from their latest, eponymous, album.
I was not expecting to write a
review, and therefore took no notes.
Luckily, Snarky Puppy have brought their recording engineer with them
and are releasing downloads of each of their UK dates on the following
day. Glasgow's was not of sufficient
quality to release, but Gateshead and Manchester are both available in MP3 or
FLAC format. This epitomises the
progressive attitude of Snarky Puppy and their label, GroundUP. Their promotion and support of up and coming
bands is exemplary. In the fevered
post-Brexit referendum, pre-election political atmosphere I am glad to say that
no conventional politics entered the hall.
However, just before the encore there was some political oratory from
Michael League – the audience were reminded that musicians receive very little
from streaming sites (the main beneficiaries being the owners of the sites themselves
and the large record companies releasing their back catalogues) if we want
music to survive and thrive then buy the product (physical or digital) from the
musicians themselves and tickets for live performances, right?
Sage Gateshead performance available
here.
Set list:
1.
Binky
2.
Semente
3.
Whitecap
4.
Beep
Box
5.
Tarova
6.
Palermo
7.
Young
Stuff
8.
Big
Ugly
——
9.
Shofukan
From Michael League:
1 comment :
Thanks for that Hugh, I was planning to do it but got bogged down in Cheltenham.
I too was recommended it but was surprised by how rockstar it was. I recall the last time I saw the Unthanks and figured the dry ice and lightshow would mark the end for the folkies and this could be the same for the Jazzers, though lots of Jamboneers and Early Birds there. Personally, coming from a rock background, at least from 71 to early 74 I like a good light show.
While I enjoyed it, I didn't love it; it was very Jazz, funk, rock without being either Jazz funk or Jazz rock and certainly not smooth. It's probably more prog rock than anything else and the percussion duel reminded me (and a couple more old Genesis nuts) of the old Phil Collins and Bill Bruford or Collins and Chester Thompson partnerships.
I took a few photos really to illustrate the lightshow but each time it seemed to explode in light. However I'll send them to Lance and he can decided if he wants to do anything with them.
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