So I'm freaking out slightly over Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson's new funky collab - 'Uptown Funk' and 'Feel Right', featuring the one and only...MYSTIKAL!!
I love everything that Bruno Mars does live so when I saw that he performed this on SNL, I had to check it out. I had no idea he had tapped into everything that is funky and created something that Prince, James Brown and George Clinton would be more than proud of. Bruno Mars' musical style with his backup singers/dancers, the Hooligans, and London-based producer Mark Ronson come together perfectly. Mark Ronson puts on a stellar funk guitar performance to back up Bruno Mars' dancing theatrics and the horn section was as tight as any I've seen (and let's be honest - I would say I'm a self-proclaimed horn section aficionado).
The 'Feel Right' performance blew my mind, Mystikal doing a fantastic combination of his unique New Orleans-style rap and a James Brown performance that was borderline uncanny. I have a new respect for Mystikal.
This Mark Ronson genius doesn't end here - the much-awaited album "Uptown Special" is expected for release on January 27th, 2015. You KNOW I'm ready.
can I have this framed?
Monday, November 24, 2014
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
They came, They Saw, They Got REALLLL Funky - Marc Broussard & Mingo Fishtrap - October 2nd, 2014 - The Hamilton Live, DC
OK, Hamilton Live. You've done it. You've officially given me the best show I've ever seen at your fine, fine venue. Not a difficult feat, however, when you combine two of my favorite artists: one of the best funk jam bands right now out of Austin, TX - Mingo Fishtrap - and one of the most soulful voices of our time - Mr. Marc Broussard.
Yesterday (written on October 3rd - sorry for the late post), Mingo Fishtrap and Marc Broussard joined forces to bring funk and soul music to the ears of DC's finest music venue. I had seen Marc Broussard several times by himself and each show was a little different - I've only seen him play with a full band once at Antone's (in other news, Antone's opened a new location in the East Riverside area of Austin, TX - that stupid location has thankfully shut down and is returning to downtown Austin - LONG LIVE, LIVE MUSIC!!). Every other performance has been an acoustic solo performance at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis, MD - I adore this venue and most of Marc's acoustic ballads. However, I'm sure you know by now that I like to GET DOWN, so this acoustic setup didn't always do it for me. I had seen Mingo Fishtrap for the first time at The Hamilton in June, and been a fan for about 3 years - I would gladly see them at least once a month. How beyond enthusiastic I was to hear that Mingo Fishtrap AND Marc Broussard would be touring together and - no, it can't be - PLAYING TOGETHER?! Best band ever. And they did not disappoint.
I arrived at The Hamilton about a half hour before doors even open (which I don't normally do because...I'm too cool, I suppose - and because generally it's a monumental waste of time). This time around, it was completely necessary. The Hamilton Live venue is in the basement of the actual Hamilton restaurant and for a 6:30 doors show, there was already a line up the stairs at 6pm. For some show like - oh I don't know - THE FOO FIGHTERS PLAYING THE BLACKCAT - this is nothing because there was a 2 block radius line around the venue (sorry, I'm pretty bitter). But for The Hamilton Live, which has up-and-coming acts or funk and brass bands with the limited following, this was notable. I was meeting Dan the Man and my bestie Andrea and husband Peter (new to the vagabond blog, but will make more appearances soon). They were all coming from College Park, so I was responsible for getting a good spot in the standing room only area of the Hamilton. The Hamilton Live has no reserved seats, so everything is first come-first serve.
We got a great spot, got some delish pizza and waited anxiously (at least I did) for the show to start. We were met with a lovely surprise named Andy Suzuki. He's a local guy from Rockville who played a short acoustic set, including a cover of one of me and Dan the Man's favorite songs by Amos Lee, 'Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight'.
After a short intermission, what looked and sounded a lot like a New Orleans Second Line began parading around The Hamilton. COULD IT BE?! - MINGO FISHTRAP! It was time. Rewind to about 3 months before this show to when I had seen Mingo Fishtrap for the first time.
I've been a fan for a few years, going back to my days in Austin. Austin has a unique but also predictable sound - outlaw country, Texas swing, folk, with a little twinge of hippie rebellion (see Willie Nelson). Some of the Austin bands I've come to love - The Band of Heathens, Reckless Kelly - fit this bill quite nicely. And THEN I heard Mingo Fishtrap for the first time. Were they all actually from New Orleans and just fell in love with Austin the way I did? Was James Brown reincarnated into a hippie white dude from Mississippi? I love everything about this band.
Luckily, my partner in crime Andrea was willing to go to the front of the stage, which at the Hamilton, means you are basically ON stage. Mingo Fishtrap brought the funk immediately. They played some of my favorites from their new album, 'On Time', as well as some stellar soul covers. There were even some fireside chats - obviously the best part of any show. My favorite was the prelude to performing the title track of their album 'On Time'. Lead singer Roger Blevins, Jr. started by talking about how he was discussing with a man at a bar - the best way to begin a conversation - how much they both despise shows like The Voice and American Idol and how you will never get someone as uniquely talented as a Ray Charles or a James Brown from a manufactured show like this. I COULD NOT AGREE MORE - I live my life wondering why a band like Mingo Fishtrap is in the background and some other choice artists (not naming names) are in the spotlight for far less talent. I couldn't even imagine how upset this fact made Mingo Fishtrap and bands like them everywhere. But Mr. Blevins, Jr. surprised and impressed me with his humble and kind attitude by saying that he can't be mad at someone for having their time to shine if he is indeed trying to do the same thing. He named the song and the album 'On Time' as an optimistic message to say I'm not shining quite yet but I'll be 'on time' when I do. I think we can all take a lesson from that type of optimism.
After a few more funky numbers, it was time for the intermission between Mingo Fishtrap and the headliner - Marc Broussard. Initially hearing about this tour, I thought it was going to a be an opening act-headliner situation. MIND BLOWN: Mingo and Marc playing together. Meanwhile, Andrea and I had scored a sweet concert neighbor - older woman there by herself with what resembled an Indian sari and an African headwrap and some of the longest braids I've ever seen. The kind souls at the Hamilton let her all the way to the front middle of the stage where she comfortably placed her purse on the stage next to the amps (right in front of Marc's mic stand) and for all intents and purposes, had moved into the Hamilton for the night. When the music started she was my hero - some hippie arm motions, knowing every word to every Marc song AND every obscure Motown cover that I thought only a music nerd like myself - and my father - would know. Marc gave her a shout out a few times - pretty cute.
I digress - Marc started with a few of his popular slower songs, just him, his drummer and bassist. His band left the stage and he played a few heartfelt acoustic songs such as The Wanderer and provided some ammo for some audience call-and-response. When it was time to speed things up, his 3 piece band did not come back - no, no - but rather ALL of Mingo Fishtrap came on stage. Talk about a supergroup.
They really helped Marc rock out on his most popular number, 'Home', with a swampy, raw, bluesy sound. I've heard him do this song a few times acoustic and it does not do 'Home' justice. They KILLED some soul/Motown covers, one of Marc's most famous being 'Love and Happiness' as well as Bill Withers' 'Who is He (And What is He to You)'. Me and my older hippie spirit guide we rockin' this in the crowd. Totally normal. Then they went into Bob Marley's 'Waiting in Vain'. They do it all.
So much of this show was incredible, but the moment I think I had a cartoon-esque moment of my mind literally blowing up inside my skull was after Marc Broussard had introduced Mingo Fishtrap and walked off stage. Would it be totally insane to say that next, Mingo Fishtrap broke into a Lettuce funk cover? Well, my friends, it happened. I didn't know what to do. Me and Dan freaked. OUT.
As I stated in my opening argument, this was one of the best shows I've ever seen - definitely the best I've seen at the Hamilton. It's like these artists tapped into my soul and said "what would Nora like to hear tonight? Let's play THAT." Doesn't get much better.
Yesterday (written on October 3rd - sorry for the late post), Mingo Fishtrap and Marc Broussard joined forces to bring funk and soul music to the ears of DC's finest music venue. I had seen Marc Broussard several times by himself and each show was a little different - I've only seen him play with a full band once at Antone's (in other news, Antone's opened a new location in the East Riverside area of Austin, TX - that stupid location has thankfully shut down and is returning to downtown Austin - LONG LIVE, LIVE MUSIC!!). Every other performance has been an acoustic solo performance at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis, MD - I adore this venue and most of Marc's acoustic ballads. However, I'm sure you know by now that I like to GET DOWN, so this acoustic setup didn't always do it for me. I had seen Mingo Fishtrap for the first time at The Hamilton in June, and been a fan for about 3 years - I would gladly see them at least once a month. How beyond enthusiastic I was to hear that Mingo Fishtrap AND Marc Broussard would be touring together and - no, it can't be - PLAYING TOGETHER?! Best band ever. And they did not disappoint.
 |
| The Musical Vagabond with her bestie (by that I mean me and Andrea) |
We got a great spot, got some delish pizza and waited anxiously (at least I did) for the show to start. We were met with a lovely surprise named Andy Suzuki. He's a local guy from Rockville who played a short acoustic set, including a cover of one of me and Dan the Man's favorite songs by Amos Lee, 'Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight'.
After a short intermission, what looked and sounded a lot like a New Orleans Second Line began parading around The Hamilton. COULD IT BE?! - MINGO FISHTRAP! It was time. Rewind to about 3 months before this show to when I had seen Mingo Fishtrap for the first time.
I've been a fan for a few years, going back to my days in Austin. Austin has a unique but also predictable sound - outlaw country, Texas swing, folk, with a little twinge of hippie rebellion (see Willie Nelson). Some of the Austin bands I've come to love - The Band of Heathens, Reckless Kelly - fit this bill quite nicely. And THEN I heard Mingo Fishtrap for the first time. Were they all actually from New Orleans and just fell in love with Austin the way I did? Was James Brown reincarnated into a hippie white dude from Mississippi? I love everything about this band.
Mingo Fishtrap @ Austin's legendary Stubb's
Luckily, my partner in crime Andrea was willing to go to the front of the stage, which at the Hamilton, means you are basically ON stage. Mingo Fishtrap brought the funk immediately. They played some of my favorites from their new album, 'On Time', as well as some stellar soul covers. There were even some fireside chats - obviously the best part of any show. My favorite was the prelude to performing the title track of their album 'On Time'. Lead singer Roger Blevins, Jr. started by talking about how he was discussing with a man at a bar - the best way to begin a conversation - how much they both despise shows like The Voice and American Idol and how you will never get someone as uniquely talented as a Ray Charles or a James Brown from a manufactured show like this. I COULD NOT AGREE MORE - I live my life wondering why a band like Mingo Fishtrap is in the background and some other choice artists (not naming names) are in the spotlight for far less talent. I couldn't even imagine how upset this fact made Mingo Fishtrap and bands like them everywhere. But Mr. Blevins, Jr. surprised and impressed me with his humble and kind attitude by saying that he can't be mad at someone for having their time to shine if he is indeed trying to do the same thing. He named the song and the album 'On Time' as an optimistic message to say I'm not shining quite yet but I'll be 'on time' when I do. I think we can all take a lesson from that type of optimism.
Mingo Fishtrap - "On Time"
After a few more funky numbers, it was time for the intermission between Mingo Fishtrap and the headliner - Marc Broussard. Initially hearing about this tour, I thought it was going to a be an opening act-headliner situation. MIND BLOWN: Mingo and Marc playing together. Meanwhile, Andrea and I had scored a sweet concert neighbor - older woman there by herself with what resembled an Indian sari and an African headwrap and some of the longest braids I've ever seen. The kind souls at the Hamilton let her all the way to the front middle of the stage where she comfortably placed her purse on the stage next to the amps (right in front of Marc's mic stand) and for all intents and purposes, had moved into the Hamilton for the night. When the music started she was my hero - some hippie arm motions, knowing every word to every Marc song AND every obscure Motown cover that I thought only a music nerd like myself - and my father - would know. Marc gave her a shout out a few times - pretty cute.
I digress - Marc started with a few of his popular slower songs, just him, his drummer and bassist. His band left the stage and he played a few heartfelt acoustic songs such as The Wanderer and provided some ammo for some audience call-and-response. When it was time to speed things up, his 3 piece band did not come back - no, no - but rather ALL of Mingo Fishtrap came on stage. Talk about a supergroup.
They really helped Marc rock out on his most popular number, 'Home', with a swampy, raw, bluesy sound. I've heard him do this song a few times acoustic and it does not do 'Home' justice. They KILLED some soul/Motown covers, one of Marc's most famous being 'Love and Happiness' as well as Bill Withers' 'Who is He (And What is He to You)'. Me and my older hippie spirit guide we rockin' this in the crowd. Totally normal. Then they went into Bob Marley's 'Waiting in Vain'. They do it all.
Mingo Fishtrap & Marc Broussard - "Waiting in Vain"
So much of this show was incredible, but the moment I think I had a cartoon-esque moment of my mind literally blowing up inside my skull was after Marc Broussard had introduced Mingo Fishtrap and walked off stage. Would it be totally insane to say that next, Mingo Fishtrap broke into a Lettuce funk cover? Well, my friends, it happened. I didn't know what to do. Me and Dan freaked. OUT.
As I stated in my opening argument, this was one of the best shows I've ever seen - definitely the best I've seen at the Hamilton. It's like these artists tapped into my soul and said "what would Nora like to hear tonight? Let's play THAT." Doesn't get much better.
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