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After I saw STS9’s new lineup at Electric Forest earlier this year, it was clear that the 5-piece jamtronica outfit is happy as ever. Once they crushed Red Rocks with 6 sets in two nights, the buzz about Sound Tribe was to the jam world what the Ice Bucket Challenge was to bored middle-age adults with desk jobs.
A Friday night New York City show located in Times Square is the stage of all stages, and STS9 thrived in the occasion. Beginning with Alanna on the stand-up base, it was clear that this would be a night that celebrates the roots of Sound Tribe as much as it indulges in Sector 9.
A lengthy opening jam that showcased the jazzy side of Tribe kicked off the show, easing the packed Best Buy Theater crowd in to a long night of exploratory electronica. With Murph no longer on bass, the attention has definitely shifted to the music, and you can see the 5-legged monster move as one as they make eye contact with each other before segueing deeper in to the grooves. The feel-good “Golden Gate” and disco-funked “4 Year Puma” lead in to a set-closing “Totem” to conclude the first half of the night.
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Set two cranked the energy up even higher, and featured a few very special moments. Perhaps the most notable would be the wood box solos from Jeffree Lerner and Zach Velmer during “Kamuy.” As the late hour weeded out the casual fan from the theater, room for everyone to fly their freak flag opened up. I stood at the back of the theater watching everyone dance in unison during “World Go Round,” marking my confirmation that Tribe is better than I’ve ever seen ’em.
Bringing back the stand-up bass on “The Human Abstract” and a shelved ’03 jam in “Potamus,” it couldn’t have been clearer. This band is a force to be reckoned with, and NY didn’t even need a Phish cover to tell us that.
10.17.2014 :: Best Buy Theater :: New York, NY
SET I: Native End (*) > ReEmergence(*), Vapors, Only Light Remains, Equinox, Golden Gate, 4 Year Puma > Totem
SET II: Oil & Water, Walk to The Light, Blu Mood, Scheme Reprise, Kamuy (@), When The Dust Settles, Ramone & Emiglio, World Go Round
ENCORE: The Human Abstract (*), Potamus (!) > Gobnugget
( * ) = Alana Upright aka AXED (@) = Jeffree & Zach wood box solos ( ! ) = last time played 6.21.2003
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