Trombone Shorty and the Kickass Show

Let me preface this by stating that I saw Trombone Shorty last year, and it was great then.

It was just as good this year. 

The first show I ever went to on the terrace was on Sept. 3, a few of us from my dorm, geeks as we were, decided to go to a movie at the Memorial Union. Well, being stupid, we couldn't find the theater (The movie was probably at Union South or Something...) but there was this band just getting on stage. So we went down and stood in front. Well, all of a sudden, it was three hours later, and we are all sweating from dancing so hard. About 300 people were basically moshing on the terrace, and it was the perfect mix of jazz, rock, and kickassness. They play an amazing show.

Trombone Shorty hails from New Orleans, and packs a killer punch of a band. TS on himself plays trumpet and trombone, and raps, and dances, and basically runs the show. He can circular breathe. 'Nough Said. Amazing horn player.

So unfortunatly it wasn't put on the by the WUD music committee so it was geared in the same mode of shows that are not for students as much as the general public. AKA, tickets aren't free. Sadly, the crowd was most mostly people over 30, so the chance for a "kickazz rave" probably wasn't as high as I would have hoped. The other problem was that there wasn't really room for a mosh pit up front. I was seriously worried that they would do more of a "toned down show". Which I suppose it was because he didn't rap to much. THAT SAID... they walk on stage and he goes --"everybody on yo' feet!" and then there was just a wall of sound via the horns and guitar, and it was go time -- all those old foggies got on their feet! 

It was a great show. They people are all amazingly talented. The solo's were perfect, because they all had the jazz background, so they can be rocking out playing 'basket case' by green day, and yet slip into a modal thing, and then play outside for a cool sound. Plus... they all know New Orleans, so their syncipation was just killer. It always "popped". Only thing that was kinda missing were some keys, but I can't blame them, their guitarist was laying down some sick funky guitar. The best touch I felt was the conga player. You couldn't hear him as much, but it made the percussion section sound fresh all of the time. The bari sax player was also a nice addition. Being able to lay down that "duh bap beeuuuwww" was just what the doctor ordered. The bass player played a 12 string, and provided what turned out to be an amazing rythum section. 

So I danced along with this couple that had seen them in New Orleans! Apparently after that show TS told the guy that he had "Never seen anyone so sweaty". So they were having a great time -- and so was I.

The last song they played was "When the Saints come marching in", and boy, did they ever kick it up. So, the couple start dancing around through the isles, and I go right along with them. TS tells us to all come up on stage, so we do, we climb up, and start dancing the fuck off! About 3o or 40 people follow us, and for the last five minutes we all got to dance and dance and dance on stage. It was crazy!

Youtube videos will be forthcoming asap!!

Thanks,

Guthrie