Local Flavor at the Mishawaka

-

Words & Photos By Nicholas Stock (phatphlogblog.blogspot.com)

There is something special about seeing a good local band. It has the ability to make you feel like you’re part of a special club, like you are in on the secret. As a band builds a following and gains a fanbase, it’s easy to get in on the ground floor and watch them evolve organically. The Mishawaka hosted three such bands Futaba, Zobomaze, and Trichome. All three groups are special and playing well enough that they could really do something big in the next few years.

I grabbed the shuttle with my buddy Dustin as lightning was striking all around Chipper’s Lanes. We rode up the canyon discussing our highlights from the summer and the meaning of friendship. When we arrived there was maybe 40 people standing around, and at its biggest point, the crowd couldn’t have numbered more than a couple hundred. Usually the Mish is packed so this was a nice change of pace. I saw Zobomaze saxophonist Zach Simms and Live Painter Skaadi Ho as we entered and said my hellos. Futaba was just getting their opening set started.

Futaba is a band I’ve heard a lot about but not had the pleasure of seeing live until now. Specializing in their own brand of mountain funk, Futaba has the ability to make you just want to dance. One thing you can say about Futaba is that they have a full sound. With a total of eight members, their music can blow away even the most jaded fan. As they dug into their set, the crowd began to fill in. The sun was setting over the mountains in the Poudre and we were left with the bluish glow of the moonlight in which to dance. Harkening back to the days of Earth, Wind, & Fire and Tower of Power, Futaba has carved out a nice musical niche in the world of funk. Rarely do I really get excited for the funky stuff but it was the combination of the brass and the rhythm section that really set them apart. All in all they were a great way to get the night going.



Auditory Elements was playing tweener sets from the VIP balcony above the outside bar. His sound was simply elementary; a high school student with a laptop could have done everything he put forth during his performance. This is my main issue with how electronic music has taken over the scene. It almost feels like it’s a necessity to have some form of DJ on the bill even if it clashes with the main event. With all the great organic music from the main stage, the DJ just seemed out of place. I took the opportunity during Auditory Elements to mingle and try to ignore the atrocity coming from above the bar.

Zobomaze made their way up to the stage. These guys are young but they consistently put forth everything they have for the crowd. It’s invigorating to see that much passion displayed in a performance. Zobo’s energy is infectious and it is a testament as to why they are doing so well this year. With spots at Desert Rocks and Sonic Bloom, they have begun to really make a name for themselves in Denver and beyond. It is only a matter of time for these guys. Zobomaze played an eclectic set list ranging from bouncy jam to a dark journey through the abyss. The set peaked with a rocking version of “No Good Deed Goes Unpunished”. They invited live painter Skaadi Ho onstage to paint their set. Skaadi works with an airbrush and the paint is reactive to black light making for a visual style that literally pops off the canvas. A very impressive set from Zobomaze made the evening just fly by. And with that, it was time for Trichome to bring out the big guns.



Trichome began as a bunch of white boys playing reggae. What I witnessed at the Mishwaka was truly a band evolved. They opened with "O Fortuna", here is the rest of the setlist from saxophonist Michael Windham.

SET I: O Fortuna> Boogie Shoes> All the Love, Strawberry, Mighty Impil, Sway, Koolie High> Latino Embrolo> Another Day> Latino Embrollo, Farside (w/Da Funk Jam), Alright, Chant Up, Music Goes On, Let Go> Koolie High

ENCORE: Squirt (w/ Jungle Boogie Tease)

The way they have reformatted their sound is truly staggering. One thing that was most present in their sound was their dynamic layering. Trichome has a core group of six musically masterful members, but for this show they added a couple of extra horns for good measure. It was a journey through world, jam, reggae, and funk, which ultimately peaked with the huge “Da Funk Jam” that was tucked into “Farside”. It was a stellar show that made me reevaluate my first impression of these guys. That’s one more reason to go and check out local bands that perhaps you’ve even seen before. The younger bands have the fire in their bellies to constantly improve. And in the short year since I had seen them last, they were completely new to me. I was totally impressed where at first glance I could take or leave their sound. Now I will continue to follow them as they progress and look forward to my next encounter with Trichome.

www.myspace.com/futabamusic

www.zobomaze.com

www.myspace.com/trichomerasta

Skaadi Ho Facebook Page





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Keeper of the Flame: How I Lost My Religion & Found My Soul at Burning Man

-
Image
Black Rock City, NV Words & Photos by Andrew Wyatt The first time I was born again, I was no more than a 12-year-old tadpole of a kid wriggling his way through chilly baptismal waters of my father’s tiny, rural Southern Baptist church. The first time I was born into the narrow confines of evangelical religion. The second time I was born again, I was a gangly young man born into the big, wide, roiling sea of the infinite universe. And it all happened on a pirate ship and a wacky dance club at Burning Man. In 2002, I was a self-doubting preacher unsure whether to continue a fledgling career calling, when a voluptuous mountain guide neighbor asked if I would join her on a week-long experience at Burning Man. “After the week is over, and you still want to preach. Then great. If not, then you’re welcome!” she piped up. Hesitantly I agreed. “Burning Man,” wrote journalist Daniel Pinchbeck in his book, Breaking Open the Head , “is more decadent than Andy Warhol’s Factory, more glamoro
Read more

Shakti & Bela Fleck 9.14.23

-
Image
Hill Auditorium University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI Words & Photos by J. Picard In the early 1970s the music world shifted with the coming of a transformative collaboration between John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain. The result was a relatively short-lived but incredibly impactful project that grew from the chance encounter. Shakti, from its inception, was destined to change not only the sound of Indian music and jazz, but the possibilities of musical collaboration as a whole. Nearly fifty years later, the impact of this project that began in 1974 and concluded in 1978, is immeasurable and spans generations of listeners. 2023 marked the return of Shakti, the release of a new album ( In This Moment ) and an extensive tour that wrapped around the globe from Europe to the United States. From the announcement of the American tour dates, it was decided that we would be making the long journey from Denver, CO to Ann Arbor, MI for a show at Hill Auditorium at the University of Michigan
Read more

Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin & Jinjer 8.23.23

-
Image
Bank of NH Pavilion Gilford, NH Words & Photos by Arlene Brown What happens when you have 9,000 people attending the biggest group therapy session of our lives? You get almost every single person at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in tears for an experience none of us will never forget. Disturbed’s “Take Back Your Life” tour swept through Gilford, NH with so much raw and honest emotion led by the breathtaking David Draiman, vowing to each and every person there that our lives matter and that our lives are important. Mental health affects everyone; either ourselves or someone we know who is living with depression, anxiety, and/or other debilitating issues.  “We are not alone.” Disturbed’s night started with their normal “Hey You,” “Stupify,” and the pyro backed “Ten Thousand Fists” in which everyone was pumping their fists (not phones) in the air. Every single person was singing every single word to every single song. The whole night. It’s been a LONG time since I’ve seen a crowd
Read more

5 Artists Not To Miss at Cascade Equinox Festival

-
Image
Deschutes County Fairgrounds Redmond, OR Words by Ryleigh Hutson & Alexander Fornes We are counting down the days to the first-ever, Cascade Equinox Festival taking place September 22-24th. As we close out the summer months and welcome in the fall, we come to the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond, OR & explore a diverse and eclectic blend of music including Jam, Electronic, Funk, Bluegrass, and Soul acts. With so many artists and genres to explore, it may be overwhelming to plan which are a must-see, and which sets you’ll spontaneously stumble upon. This could be one of the greatest line-ups Central Oregon has yet to see. The following are 5 artists not to miss at Cascade Equinox! 1. Pretty Lights Electronic music pioneer Derek Smith (Pretty Lights) is following a five year hiatus and Cascade Equinox is boasting its headliner as his only Pacific Northwest performance on his Soundship Spacesystem Tour . Pretty Lights took the hiatus at the top of his game after his 10th ye
Read more