Bluebird Theater
Denver, CO
Words & Photos By Nicholas Stock (Fat Guerilla Productions)
Yamn is one of those bands that never lost love for the hard-hitting jam. Despite lineup changes and personal struggles Yamn has persevered and continued to spread their distinctive brand of progressive jam. At one time I called Yamn a ‘meta’ jam band, referring to their near-chameleon like approach to music. They utilized everything at their disposal and created a sound that consisted of electronic, funk, jazz and most prominently, rock. Now, a few years down the road, they have followed that rabbit to a highly progressive rock sound heavy on the synthesizer. Their show at the Bluebird Theater was a hometown throw down featuring friends, DYNOHUNTER and Home.
I arrived in time to catch the eclectic sounds of Home. The full name of the group seems to be "The Band Home," I would think, because the name "Home" has been claimed by a musical acts in both America and the UK. The teddy bear-like Jeff Prah immediately commands your attention as he belts out the notes. Calling their music a “Folkadelic Jamgrass Explosion,” Home has an intoxicating, inviting sound that pulls the listener in quickly. Singer and percussionist, Precious Hill, took her turn at the microphone to end the set. This band has been at it since around 2009, and as far as I can tell they are coming off of an extended hiatus. They have played all over the country including Summer Camp and 10k Lakes. So I hope this is the start of a "renovation" of sorts for Home. I will say Home puts on a fascinating show and I hope they continue to play together.
DYNOHUNTER is affectionately known as "Little Gigantic" because of Clark Smith’s employment of an actual saxophone into their performances. I appreciated the use of the acoustic instrumentation that included the drums of Justin Ehmer. There was a hard-hitting, bass-heavy sound, which juxtaposed nicely with the sax. They have just released a new album
The Nomad, and are set to tour for the next month in support. They definitely bring the dance party with them wherever they go.
Yamn took the stage just after 11 PM and played until just before bar close. This band has definitely evolved from their early days. They have developed a hybrid between livetronica and progressive rock. Yamn began with the electro-funk dance tune, “Warpath.”
Set One: Warpath> Joey White,
Rich in Life*,
Molly*,
Turn the Page**, Anu p.1> Suspended Animation> This year is yours*,
Slow Ride, 7 Something> The Road> 7 Something
Encore: High Strangeness
*= Debut
**= with Clark Smith
The band transitioned stealthily into “Joey White” which contained a “Burner” tease. Yamn treated us to a pair of debut songs, “Rich In Life” followed by “Molly.” They went into Bob Seger’s “Turn The Page,” which if you didn’t know the band might seem out of place. They invited DYNOHUNTER’s Clark Smith to join the band with a scorching sax solo. They went back to their prog-tronica with “Anu p. 1.” Yamn has become a really powerful band to watch. They challenge their audiences with unique compositions and tight transitions. Not to mention Paul Whitehouse’s lights, which are absolutely mesmerizing. Their range is easily apparent when seeing them live. “This Year Is Yours” was yet another debut song, in a set full of them. Yamn went into one more 70’s classic cover with a perfect rendition of Foghat’s “Slowride.” Yamn closed their triumphant set of music with a massive jam that featured a “7 Something” sandwich with “The Road” in the middle. The band returned with a “Strange Highness” encore to end the night. The entire encounter was diverse with Home playing their folk jam style, DYNOHUNTER’s livetronica and Yamn’s own blast of inventiveness. It was a great night for music in Denver.
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www.yamnit.com
www.soundcloud.com/dynohunter
www.facebook.com/Thebandhome
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