Roll Call: Mr. SomethingSomething @ Mavericks 7/17

[bradm]

If you're looking for something other than the Ottawa Blues Festival to occupy a chunk of your Saturday night this weekend, I heartily recommend coming to Mavericks to see Mr. Something Something.

I saw them at The Rainbow back in June, and was blown away, figuratively and literally: figuratively, because of the quality of the music, and literally, becuase of their outstanding horn section (trumpet + various saxophones [tenor, soprano, baritone]). Their frontman is also enormous fun to watch: he's not so much a singer (a lot of the time, there are no vocals to the songs/grooves), but more of a leader/emcee/focal-point. He interacts with the audience in non-standard and fun ways (at times), and has a deadpan/satirical delivery that left me wishing all frontpeople were like him.

They describe their music thusly:

The grooves have West African roots, with breaks and basslines designed to induce and sustain a state of ecstatic dancing. The horn section strikes with power and uplifts with melody, leading the dancers through extended forms. Above it all, acting as a lightning-rod for the combined energies of a Mr. Something Something event is the lyric statement of the case for change and consciousness. And dance.

I concur: these guys are a blast (again, figuratively and literally). If you like to dance, you owe it to yourself to come out.

Aloha,

Brad

[bradm]

I did a bit of digging, and found there's an opening act (or two...see below).

The post from the band mentions "Manchas as the opener, and the XPress show listing gives the acts as Jordy Walker, Manchas, and Mr. Something Something.

I found Jordy Walker's web page, which seems to indicate that it's actually Jordy Walker and Manchas, as one act. I'm listening to Walker's MP3s now, and it's not too bad: relaxed-pace (almost moody, or minimalist) singer/songwriter stuff. Assuming Manchas will be backing him up, I don't know how it'll be live.

Aloha,

Brad

[Jakis]

Man i wish i could go to this show. Really want to see mr. something something, but instead i am going on a 2 week family vacation which should be lots of fun also.

[bradm]

I'm listening to Walker's MP3s now, and it's not too bad: relaxed-pace (almost moody, or minimalist) singer/songwriter stuff.

Note that I spoke too soon: some of the tracks (Dancing Girl, Float Away) are singer/songwriter stuff, but there are also tracks (Let It Go, The Belly) with a backing band that pick up the pace (and the fun; the guy can write some off-beat lyrics) considerably. There's also a didg in there somewhere, too.

Aloha,

Brad

[larry jr.]

[color:"black"]

I was looking forward to checking Mr. Something Something out, but alas, I'm gonna be in the T dot. God I love the word "alas."

"How he loved to use alas, until alas, he began to sound like an ass."