On Saturday night, Programming Board provided a winning combination designed to appeal to the masses: Robert Randolph and the Family Band's soulful blend of blues, gospel, rock and country and Talib Kweli's intelligent, alternative hip-hop.
After the organization passed on Wilco, one of today's best rock bands, in favor of the emo of Dashboard Confessional in the fall, it did much to redeem itself with the selection of Randolph and Kweli. The pairing proved to be successful, as a large, diverse crowd of students and fans turned up at Leede Arena in order to enjoy the eclectic concert.
Over the years, Talib Kweli has gained respect for his smooth delivery of rhymes and the street-smart social commentary contained within his raps. He began to build his reputation during his days in Black Star with Mos Def and DJ Hi-Tek, with the group turning heads with their eponymous classic release in 1998. Future releases "Reflection Eternal" (2000), "Quality" (2002) and "The Beautiful Struggle" (2004) were also met with critical acclaim.
Kweli strays from his more mainstream hip-hop peers by focusing on melody instead of big beats and by speaking out against the ills of today's society instead of engaging in blustering self-aggrandizement. This original and thoughtful approach to rhyme has earned him legions of dedicated fans from all walks of life.
The cavernous Leede Arena was hardly a hospitable environment for lyric-driven hip-hop, but Kweli managed to bring the room to life just the same. Material from "The Beautiful Struggle" dominated the hour-long set; highlights included "We Got the Beat," "Never Been in Love," and the title track from his latest album. Kweli also added calculated, cunning rhymes to samples from classic songs by the Beatles and Al Green.
The crowd responded well to his countless exhortations, and I was impressed with his ability to maintain a high-energy atmosphere despite the difficulty of understanding his slick vocals due to the gym's abysmal acoustics.
Robert Randolph first appeared on the jam scene as a member of the gospel supergroup The Word in the late '90s, but his unique approach to the pedal steel guitar, normally associated with country and bluegrass, quickly earned him a dedicated fan base of his own. He has made a career of breaking musical and cultural boundaries; his devotion and virtuosity have allowed him to introduce new audiences to both gospel music and the pedal steel guitar.
By the time his own Family Band (cousins Danyell Morgan and Marcus Randolph, friend Jason Crosby) released "Live at the Wetlands" in 2000, Randolph was the jam scene's hottest young artist. With its 2003 studio effort "Unclassified," Robert Randolph and the Family Band established itself as one of the music industry's most unique success stories.
The band opened with an extended rendition of the bluesy romp "Nobody," in which the members were able to demonstrate their improvisational ability by effortlessly maintaining the song's groove even as the three cousins swapped instruments multiple times. For the sultry "Shake Your Hips," they revved up the crowd by actually inviting some women onstage. Then, in the highlight of the evening, the band provided some top-notch dance music with a sizzling cover of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," with Randolph playing the vocal part on pedal steel.
At one point, Randolph enthusiastically announced, "We're gonna have some fun with this one," as the band began a relaxed jam. He then offered his guitar to the crowd, beckoning the guitarists in the crowd to come up and show their stuff. Two students eventually answered the call, with Max Bryer '08 firing up the crowd by playing the guitar with his teeth.
The Family Band turned up the heat in Leede for the second half of the set. They cruised through a tight take on one of their best originals "I Need More Love," anchored by Danyell Morgan's head-bobbing bass line. The momentum then peaked with their fiery rendition of Hendrix's "Purple Haze," with Randolph demonstrating the skill and creativity necessary to cover the master.
The crowd roared with appreciation as the band left after the short set, and was subsequently delighted when they returned for an extended encore. Opening with an uncharacteristically restrained tune that featured Crosby on violin, the band segued into an instrumental cover of Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy." A lengthy jam that included lyrics from the feel-good song "So Refreshing," it induced big smiles and was a fitting end to a diverse and engaging musical experience.
Programming Board should be commended for a concert that was unique, mature, and accessible to students of varied musical tastes. The success of this year's events should prove once and for all that Dartmouth students do not need big names in their music -- they need to look for creativity and ability instead.
