Well readers, it was just over a year ago that I reached out to the editors of Live Music Blog expressing interest in covering music for their cause. I truly believe I was put on this earth for the love of music so it only made sense for me to experience as much of it as I could and share my experiences with the general public…and damn, it has been an amazing year!
Since I have been on board, I have had been up and down the Northeast, and even a quick jaunt west, covering some pretty amazing performances up close and some a little more personal! One band in particular, I have had the chance of seeing five, maybe six, times–making them the band I have seen the most since I began: Dopapod. And one I had not seen in over a year: Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band.
This past Friday evening live music brought me to the city of Providence, RI. The Booty Band was on stage (at The Spot, “now above-ground” Underground) doing an absolutely fantastic job of putting down the funk. They were supporting Dopapod and making their first of two stops in my beloved New England. It was heart-melting to see live brass and also to see a woman jamming out on the keys, in heels no less.
On my way in, I walked by Dopapod’s guitarist, Rob. He welcomed my wave and a smile with a hug and much excitement. “All of our friends are here! This is going to be great,” he says! Shortly after that moment, he hopped on stage and stood in with the Booty Band for a song. During the rest of set many horns were blown, “badunkadunks” were shaken and kind words were spoken to the crowd. “This show is dedicated to Sandy. Recognize the good times surrounded by friends with drinks in hand. Cherish these moments. These are precious moments!” Al Al Ingram says this to us standing front and center, bass around his neck, wearing Spiderman fingerless gloves and a penguin winter hat. Nearing the end of their set, Mary Frances jammed on her keytar on the edge of the stage. At one point holding it straight up over her head shaking what her mama gave her towards the crowd. Their set, without a doubt, turned the entire room on.
As the stage was turning over to the main act, I was thinking of the recent NPR and LMB posts regarding What Five Bands Should be Bigger. The Booty Band holds a place on my list for sure. They have been playing and touring together for a decade and deserve all the goodness that comes their way.
Luke (a lighting genius) switched his lights to neon green, a haze covered the stage and Dopapod was warmly welcomed to the stage. The boys threw down, as they always do. They swooned us all with a new track titled “Psycho Nature” featuring Eli on the megaphone. Throughout the course of their set, each member of the band had moments under the spotlight. Young lads asking young ladies to dance around every corner and middle-aged couples making out to the music; a truly diverse and very happy crowd.
Mid-set Rob stood alone on the stage while the rest of the gents took a five-minute break. He started strumming a tune, stopped and pointed out that the “infamous MKDevo” was in the house. A “fine supplier of YouTube videos of Dopapod, and Primus, and Phish and all these wonderful people,” he charmingly says to our good friend Dave P who had a 5 camera setup working during for the entire set. (See mkdevo’s full playlist from the show here).
The gents of Dopapod had a very humbling time in New England this past weekend. It made them feel at home playing to the packed houses of where they began. Eli commented to friends how “touched his soul” was playing in Providence as he led into the final song of the evening. Their tour came to an end in Northampton on Saturday evening to a very packed Pearl Street upstairs ballroom. Via instagram, Eli tagged that evening as:
“The night I realized my dreams came true.”
Full photo gallery below and CLICK HERE to download or stream the entire show from mkdevo’s soundboard matrix!
SETLIST: Dopapod @ The Spot Underground, Providence RI || Friday, November 9th, 2012
Sonic, Flipped*, Blast, Pyscho Nature, French Bowling, Carolina^, Vol. 3 #86, Trapper Keeper > Vol. 3 # 86, Off The Cuff% > Turnin’ Knobs, Weird Charlie Pt. 1
E: Nuggy Jawson$, Indian Grits
-Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band opened *band jammed along to the crowd’s clapping
^performed solo by Rob. dedicated to Dave Pecoraro (aka MKDevo). Rob replaced “Carolina” with “MKDevo” in the first verse. Al Al from The Booty Band danced onstage during the outro
%unfinished
$contained teases of “Higher” by Creed
#w/ Derek from The Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band on Trombone
