So, we’ve reached the end: the last day of this year’s Jazz Festival. It’s
been a long ride, but there was still a lot going on Saturday night worth
talking about.
First up was theSierra
Leone Refugee All-Stars. Now, for better or for worse I try to leave politics aside when looking at a
musical group. For as many good things as the group has done, including its
documentary on forming in a refugee camp during Sierra
Leone’s civil war, I just couldn’t get into
the music.To be fair, I’ve never really been a reggae
fan. I was expecting a much more African folk sound from the group, and instead
got a very reggae vibe. Say what you will, but I just couldn’t dig it: it was
all too circular and too similar.
Next up was Gov’t Mule. I’ve always been a fan of
seeing more rock-centric acts on the free stages during the big weekend shows.
Smash Mouth? I was down with that. In fact, the festival seems to use these big
rock-heavy acts to bring in the younger, drinking, free, crowd, so I’m not sure
why they don’t expand and just make one of those stages a rock stage while they
are at it.
But I digress. Gov’t Mule, which I was unfamiliar
with before now, falls into my category of “classic rock” groups. It sounds
like classic rock, smells like classic rock, and looks like classic rock. Nothing new, nothing groundbreaking, just heavy, loud, and standard
rock.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that; it just tends to not excite me as
much as it could. Though, I will say that some of the band’s solo work may have
been the tipping point to bringing them here. But I have to ask the question:
if you are putting rock bands on a stage to attract a younger crowd, shouldn’t
they, you know, be younger-attracting bands?
Last, and my saving grace for the day ,wasLocarnoat
the Big Tent. Such a treat on which to end the festival, this
group was what I wished every Mexican- or Spanish-leaning group I saw this week
sounded like: a mix between mariachi, a few splashes of rock, some loud,
blaring, bright horns, and yeah, let’s throw in some violin for good measure.
I can’t believe Locarno
was also the first, and only time, I saw a violin all week, and it was great to
hear that sound coupled with the trombone, trumpet, and guitars. It was the
second-best show of the festival (trailing the ZydecoHellrasiers, of course), and a great last note to
leave the festival on.
And I mean, come on, the band closed with “La Bamba.”
Always a party.
Now that the festival is over, who were some of your favorite acts? Who
should come back next year, and who do you wish would have played but didn’t?
The festival is listening, so share your thoughts below.
This article appears in Jun 27 – Jul 3, 2012.
