The Fox Theatre
Boulder, CO
Words By J-man
Photos By Kevin Hahn
Toubab Krewe opened up their Rocky Mountain High Winter Tour at The Fox Theatre in Boulder, CO on Thursday. The tour will take the Asheville, NC band from Boulder to Telluride passing through almost all of Colorado's major markets! The evening began with See-I feat. members of Thievery Corporation and their cheap overdone brand of reggae that tapped into all of the tacky audience reaction ploys. "How are you doing Denver?" (while the show was actually in Boulder) "Clap your hands if you want to here music!" "Scream if you like reggae!" The weak instrumentation clashed with misplaced high pitched yells, that filled the room for an extended opening set. The young crowd seemed into the music, yelling and screaming uncontrollably as directed by the gentleman on stage commanding the crowd. A short time later See-I's set ended and the buzz took over for Toubab Krewe.
Toubab hit the stage to the excitement of the growing crowd, but this time with new member, Terrence Houston (Drums). Terrance's counterpart was Luke Quaranta (Percussion). Together, they created so many fantastic layers, rhythms and polyrhythms that became the glue for the adventurous front line that included David Pransky (Bass), who helped round out the fantastic rhythm section, Drew Heller (Guitar) and Justin Perkins (Kora, Kamelngoni, Guitar). The combination of Heller and Perkins reflected experience and direction that took listeners on an almost psychedelic and tribal journey that was driven by a clear rock sound. That night, Toubab sounded as tight and refined as many had ever heard them sound. Toubab is at a point in their development where the music has progressed to a point of tightening and increased structure. Soon folks will be saying things like "I am an old school Toubab fan" and "I dig Toubab's older sound." For many, this point is crucial in the band's expansion to a larger fan base and increased following. If the music were to remain the same without progressing, what would that say about the band and the music itself?
What the Boulder crowd was treated to on Thursday was fantastic. For those who were not familiar with Toubab, it seemed a pleasant surprise. For those who were, it was a step forward in the musical saga that is Toubab Krewe. The combination of African melodies and rhythms mixed with an almost popular rock appraoch to create such a unique and appealing sound that cannot be overlooked. Toubab is on the climb to greatness. Trust us when we say, this is a band not to be missed. Catch Toubab on the second half of their Colorado tour and be sure to catch them this June at LOHI Music Festival!
Kevin's Photo Gallery
www.toubabkrewe.com
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