Last week, the bands Sound Tribe Sector 9 and Medeski, Martin and Wood both played shows at Higher Ground in South Burlington, Vt. The venue has recently moved into a beautiful new facility with great acoustics near Route 2 which holds around 1,000 fans comfortably and should play host to some of today's most talented musicians.
Each band put the new room to good use in strikingly different ways. Sound Tribe Sector 9 played a long, late show of tight execution, developing its unique sound, which combines elements of jazz, trance, funk, hip-hop, and rock. Medeski, Martin and Wood provided a brief, loose demonstration of its wholly unorthodox acid jazz.
Sound Tribe Sector 9 formed in Athens, Georgia in the late '90s, but now call California home. It began as a quartet: guitarist Hunter Brown, bassist David Murphy, keyboardist David Phipps and the band's secret weapon, drummer Zach Velmer. They added percussionist Jeffree Lerner in '99 and, in the last few years, Brown and Murphy have used computers to add electronic and vocal samples to the band's sound. The band has recently cut back on extended improvisation, focusing on a more precise performance driven by Velmer's impeccable time.
There was a sluggish, negative vibe created by the legions of wrecked Biscoheads (fans of the electronic/rock jamband The Disco Biscuits), and the band got off to a slow start at 11 p.m. However, Sound Tribe Sector 9 picked up the pace (and the crowd) for the second half of the set with tight takes on new tunes -- "Better Day" and "Peoples," and an extended "Evasive Maneuvers>Kamuy." Velmer blew fans away all night long with his masterful drumming, nailing every change with lightning-quick precision.
A much more energized audience welcomed the band back to the stage after the break. The band responded with an extremely energetic set, including long renditions of old school fan favorites "STS9," "Orbital" and "Squares & Cubes." They loosened up considerably, reverting to the more improvised sets of past tours while maintaining their polished execution, especially on the new song "ReEmergence." Murphy and Brown both explored their instruments and laptops extensively, and Phipps showed flashes of brilliance. STS9 brought the set to a euphoric conclusion with "Inspire Strikes Back," but returned for an anticlimactic "Circus" encore.
John Medeski, Billy Martin and Chris Wood have been expanding the boundaries of jazz for almost 15 years. They formed in New York City as an experimental jazz trio, before developing a funkier sound and gaining recognition with the classic'96 album "Shack-Man." Since then, the band has established a strong international fan base with constant touring, including appearances at Bonnaroo and New Orleans' JazzFest. In recent years, MMW has continued to experiment with different styles, utilizing more electronic manipulation.
The band took the stage for the last night of its short tour of the northeast at 10 p.m. sharp. It began slowly, meandering through the first couple of tunes with reserve. Medeski turned it up on "End of the World Party" (the title track from their new album), looking like a mad scientist as he attacked the keys with expert precision. Wood switched to traditional stand-up bass and the band began to settle into a groove.
As Medeski briefly left the stage, Martin pounded an impressive solo, but Wood's nightly solo was uninspired. Medeski returned with fervor, picking up the crowd with "Think," one of the band's classics. He later moved to his baby grand piano, nailing the Latin-influenced "Juanito." Next, Martin provided some stunning (and rare) vocals on "Paris." MMW continued to gain momentum, each member complimenting the others in perfect chemistry.
The crowd began to really get into it, but the band left the stage abruptly after just 100 minutes. Though obviously disappointed with the set length, the crowd showed its appreciation and pleaded for an encore. However, the trio would not oblige and after a few minutes the lights came on, drawing boos from the crowd. The post-show vibe was tense: half the crowd was angry with the band for the short show, the other half was angry at the first half for booing. It was an unfortunate way to end an enjoyable show and reflects a clear lack of mutual respect between the band and its fans.
Higher Ground and its new and improved facilities provided a great setting for both bands. Hopefully next time the atmosphere at the concert might live up to the quality of the performance space and the greatness of the bands.
