Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom
Denver, CO
Words By J-man
Photos By Jon Prins
Audio By Ed Simon
Friday March 24th in Denver brought a star-studded line-up of guests to celebrate Joey Porter's (Juno What, The Motet) "Shady Business" at Cervantes Masterpiece in Denver, CO! The evening was a melting pot of east coast and west coast talent, nestled in the front range of Colorado. Monophonics opened the evening with a fantastic set of blues, funk and rock delivered in energetic fashion. Their instrumentation, vocals and stage presence was captivating and was a perfect fit for the opening slot. Shortly to follow, "Shady Business" took the stage to a smaller than expected crowd. However, with the first few notes of the set, fans poured into Cervantes like water into a sinking ship.
Monophonics Live at Cervantes Masterpiece on March 24, 2012.
"I've assembled an amazing band here and I'm really excited about it. I'm going to play some of my favorite songs with some of my favorite musicians," Joey said to kick the evening off.
Joey Porter's "Shady Business" at Cervantes on March 24, 2012.
Set One: Yearnin' & Learnin, Steppin' In It, Back In Love Again, Happy Feelins, What Is Hip, Got To Give It Up, Hang Up Your Hangups, You Haven't Done Nothin'
Set Two: Ain't Gonna Hut Nobody, Electrocity, Blame It On The Boogie, Jealous Guy, Knock Yourself Out, Fair But SO Uncool, Livin' For The City, Can't Hide Love, Everything Is Everything
Encore: These Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)
Mixed projects are hit or miss, often reflecting the lack of chemistry and practice that most projects tap into. As the show began, the tension over turnout was very palatable, but concerned looks from the band and promoters quickly turned to smiles as Cervantes packed in for the party!
The band's roster included (in alphabetical order):
Erick Coomes- Bass (Lettuce), Kim Dawson- Vocals (The Motet, Urban Method), Nigel Hall- Vocals, Keys (Warren Haynes Band, Lettuce), Jans Ingber- Vocals, Congas (The Motet), Ryan Jalbert- Guitar (The Motet, Dubskin), Sam Kininger- Alto Sax (Soulive, Lettuce), Gabe Mervine- Trumpet (The Motet), Joey Porter- Keys (The Motet, Juno What?!), Garrett Sayers- Bass (The Motet, magicgravy, Garrett Sayers Trio), Dan Schwindt- Guitar (Kyle Hollingsworth Band, Supercollider, Big Money Quartet), Steve Watkins- Keys (Juno What?!), Dave Watts Drums (The Motet, Juno What?!, magicgravy), Ryan Zoidis Tenor Sax (Soulive, Lettuce)
The evening quickly became a who's who of some of the country's top touring musicians. The rhythm work of Dave and Garrett was flawless and honed, while Ryan and Dan lit up their respective guitars. The horn section showcased their chops while executing every cue flawlessly. Then there was the key section of Joey, Steve and Nigel. Their collective output was absolutely through the roof and fueled the fire of the party! The vocals of Jans, Kim and Nigel brought a taste of soul to the mix and made for some really great high points in the show.
Through two sets of music showcasing some of funk's classics, "Shady Business" took Denver to the next level. Looking around the room it was clear to tell that the evening was a success! Following the event, there has been some chatter about making this super-group a bi-annual happening. What more could Joey have asked for than to assemble his super-group and have it translate to future gigs and an on-going party?
Congrats to Joey and happy 40th birthday!
Jon Prins' Photo Gallery
www.junowhat.net
www.themotet.net
Comments
Post a Comment