When Staci and I first got to Sam’s, I was starving so we grabbed a bite before heading in to see the show. Man, those burgers are huge! We split one and I couldn’t even finish my half! Anyway, because of this we missed the beginning of The Groove Movement’s set, but we caught most of it.
I’m actually at a loss for words to fully describe either of these bands, but I’ll do my best.
The Groove Movement: I could make it easy on myself and say "eclectic" or "fusion" or one of those other vague terms that reviewers like to throw around, but that doesn’t really do justice. The single word "groove" (or maybe "groovadelic funk") is probably the best description, but I’ll try to be more specific. Take jazz, blues, rock, funk, reggae, soul, classical, hip-hop, medieval, orchestral, gypsy music and just about anything else you can think of, mix it all up into a groovin’ musical potpourri (or goulash, if you prefer a tastier metaphor) and you might have some idea of what I’m talking about
Thumping, bluesy bass rhythms. Guitar alternating between eerie wailing leads and steely staccato beats. Rockin’ drums. Bongo funk. Soulful vocals. And...wait, let me say I haven’t used the words "jam" and "violin" in the same sentence since the Charlie Daniels Band made "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", but...JAMMIN’ violin! And if you think all these different styles don’t go together, you’re wrong. It all blends together perfectly. Even when, mid-song, they break into "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music. Yep, that’s right, that song about raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, except they don’t actually sing the words, just groove the melody. Bassist/keyboardist Matt Wolff told me they also do a version of the Sesame Street theme song. Gotta hear that one!
Guitarist Frank Pena and violinist Bob Jimenez alternate on vocals. Danny Gallegos and Aaron Elias provide excellent drums and percussion. Gallegos also takes up the bass for Matt Wolff when Matt mans the keyboards. There were no keyboards that night, but I’ve heard Matt on keyboards (and drums too) playing with 51 Acres, so I know he’s great on keys, too. All the band members are very talented and versatile musicians.
Really though, any description I can give you is insufficient. So, tell you what... Go see ‘em. You’ll be glad you did.
Now...Spoonfed Tribe: If describing The Groove Movement was difficult, describing Spoonfed Tribe is impossible, but I’ll tell you a little about them:
First of all, these guys have serious stage presence. They have a tremendous energy, and it flows out into the audience...you can’t hold still! We were drawn in from the minute bassist Jerome57 stepped out onto the dimly lit stage with face paint and plaid pants, playing a deep, dark, eerie intro. The guitarist, ShoNuff, wore an aviator helmet, goggles and a long skirt. But the odd apparel is irrelevant. What matters is the sound, the visual, the whole experience of a Spoonfed Tribe show. It’s a transcending experience. We were no longer in a local burger joint. We were at a hippy commune in the jungle, partying with the natives. The music is very tribal, very percussive, lots of bongos. Every member of Spoonfed Tribe plays percussion at some point, besides just the two drummer/percussionists, Kabooom and Gouffahtts. And while Egg Nebula is the lead singer, they all do vocals, except for Gouffahtts. And if I was surprised to hear jammin’ violin in The Groove Movement, I was at least as surprised, if not more so, to find Egg jamming on...the FLUTE! And I mean jamming. I really dug the flute! They also use a glockenspiel. (If you don’t know what that is, it’s a percussion instrument similar to a xylophone, only with metal bars instead of wooden, and it’s higher pitched, sounds much like bells. Very cool sound. Radiohead uses one on “No Surprises”.)
If this gives you any indication of the jungle-beat intensity of their music, at one point Staci said, “I so wish I was having sex right now!” (I had to beg her to let me use that in this review, believe me!) But, she’s right. The music has a sensual rhythmic energy that can’t be denied.
They attract a young, very bohemian following. Lots of tie-dye, lots of dancing. A really fun and interesting crowd.
And that’s all I’m gonna tell you about Spoonfed Tribe. They really defy description. If you haven’t heard them, you can listen to a few of their songs on their website. Or if you subscribe to Napster, there’s about 20 of their songs available for download on there. But I recommend seeing them live to truly experience their unique sound and showmanship.
Where to catch the bands:
You can find The Groove Movement in San Antonio -
At Crabby Jack’s July 9th and August 20th.
Monday nights at The Mix for the next month or so.
Check their website for updates.
I don’t know when Spoonfed Tribe will be in San Antonio again, but you can catch them in Austin at Antone’s August 20th. See their website for other tour dates.
Added note: This review has also been posted at BandWeblogs.com in the "Bar Blog" section.
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