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FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM

Originating from Brooklyn, ANTIBALAS (aka Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra) is: AMAYO (Vocals & Percussion), VICTOR AXELROD (Organ/Clavinet), ERIC BIONDO (Trumpet), STUART BOGIE (Tenor Sax), MARCUS FARRAR (Shekere), MARCOS GARCIA (Guitar), AARON JOHNSON (Trombone), JORDAN MCLEAN (Trumpet), NICK MOVSHON (Bass), LUKE O’MALLEY (Guitar), MARTIN PERNA (Baritone Sax, founder) and CHRIS VATALARO (Drums).

They are sooooo fun in concert, words don’t do them justice.  I saw them back in 2007 in the Cincinnati area, and haven’t had a chance since now to see them again.  I’ve been Jonesin’ for an Antibalas fix.

They’ve been busy the last couple years with the multiple-Tony Award winning FELA! Broadway musical (a tribute to afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti).  This July, Antibalas is doing a mini-tour in pre-support for their upcoming album on Anti-Records (untitled as of now).  The Sway Machinery opened the Portland show…

They were a nice horn-infused Jewish five piece rock band.  Their MySpace billed them as “Other / Blues / Afrobeat.”  Outside of the horns, I didn’t really hear the afrobeat.  Definitely Judaic and bluesy –  I dug their sound.  The mix last night was a bit bass heavy, and the vocals got drowned out, but I liked their vibe overall.  Their line-up is fairly power-packed… guitarist Jeremiah Lockwood of Balkan Beat Box, drummer Brian Chase of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, bass saxophonist Colin Stetson of Arcade Fire and Tom Waits‘ band, and the trumpet and tenor sax horn section of the band Antibalas, Jordan McLean and Stuart Bogie.  They’ve got an album, Hidden Melodies Revealed, out on JDub Records (same record label as Balkan Beat Box, SoCalled, etc).

Antibalas went on a little after 10:15 and hit the ground running with their percussive, groove-laden, horn-drenched bombast.  Lead vocalist Amayo came out at the second song and started off on percussion before moving over to lead vocals…

The sound in the club got a little more balanced for Antibalas, whose 12 band members were tightly jamming away.  Great mix of horn-heavy tunes, percussion heavy tunes.  The packed house danced away to the fun beats.  I’m horrible with their song names, and they didn’t play as many lyrical songs; so no luck on a setlist this time around.  If anyone has a setlist, pass it along, please.

Antibalas jammed away for a fairly dancey, long set without showing signs of letting up.  A fantastic night!  I’m hoping they hit the PacNW again when they come back through to support their upcoming untitled record.  Portland, Eugene, anywhere really. :)

more photos below

The Appropriate Linkage:

• Antibalas’ Site
• Antibalas on MySpace
• FELA! Musical on Broadway
• The Sway Machinery’s Site
• The Sway Machinery on MySpace
• Berbati’s Pan

Check out more tour dates below.

~Dan – np: Jon Madof’s Rashanim – Masada Rock 

ANTIBALAS & THE SWAY MACHINERY PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2010 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution

(click for larger)

Antibalas July 2010 Tour Dates

• 07.14.10 – San Diego, CA – Casbah
• 07.15.10 – Los Angeles, CA – The Echoplex
• 07.16.10 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
• 07.17.10 – Garberville, CA – Reggae on the River
• 07.19.10 – Portland, OR – Berbati’s Pan
• 07.20.10 – Seattle, WA – Neumos
• 07.22.10 – New York, NY – River to River Festival, Castle Clinton
• 07.29.10 – Philadelphia, PA – Kimmel Center, Perelman Theater