Lotus at Best Buy Theater 1-26-2013

So here we go… Sold out show and good company right in Times Square a.k.a. the center of the known Universe, what else can you ask for on a brisk January night in NYC? Alright, for those that don’t know Lotus that well, or like me have only caught a set or two during the festival season here’s the deal: Lotus Rocks. Check them out on their tour this spring. Featuring Mike Repel on guitar, Luke Miller on guitar/keyboards, Jesse Miler on bass and sampler, Mike Greenfield on Drums, and Chick Morris with more percussion (more drums).  While Lotus is often lumped into the jamtronica genre, they have that extra something that separates them from the rest, and it’s for the best.

The group incorporates rock, electronica, jazz, jam, funk and other influences to round out their unique sound. Personally, after experiencing this whole show, I found the sparse use of lyrics helped the band really bang out the best possible tunes/beats with the full sound that we’re all so used to with studio produced DJ/producer tracks.  Also, the fact their fans are awesome and friendly, definitely instills that good vibe in the crowd that all the best dance music needs. Simply put, great guitar riffs and fat beats thumped throughout the night, just the way they should.

                Arriving in Times Square to see Sold out Lotus  scrolling atop the venue somehow makes the experience better, don’t know why, but sold out shows have that exclusivity of you can’t come even if you want. Best Buy Theater (aka the theatre formerly known as Nokia Theater) is hands down one of the top venues in NYC. Featuring great sound, a main dance floor with a second slightly raised, and GA stadium seating available for everyone to relax after raging on the dance floor.

Moreover, they have an awesome staff that is experienced at handling crowds at shows (that’s a good thing) and professional bartenders that keep the drinks flowing and the lines moving.  Saturday night featured a beer and shot of whiskey for $12, can’t beat that in Times Square NYC. My only qualm is there is no bar inside the actual venue and I have to leave the music for a minute to get a new can, however, this may explain why their dance floors are bone dry since you have the chance to take a few sips and cans spill less than drafts (but draft brews are soooo much better). So it’s a win/lose, but I guess dry dance floor is more important.  Moon Hooch opened up the festivities, he had some talent, but it was just not my jam.

Hot damn! Its 10:00pm and Best Buy is rocking!  George Clinton would be proud, Lotus throws down some sick beats, dropping “Suitcases” as the second tune of the night got everyone dancing, with some nasty jams. Next up was “Middle Road,” an awesome up tempo jam with a throbbing bassline that just gets everyone MOVIN.  The synth really adds that electronic sound that I crave, and the full band accompaniment really just sounds amazing live.

Oh yea, a definite highlight was hearing their live cover of Deadmau5’s Ghost’s N’ Stuff. Soooo sweet.  For anyone interested, I believe this is the entire set list: Kodiak, Suitcases , Middle Road , Bubonic Tonic ->  Hammerstrike , Age of Inexperience, set break, Grayrigg, Flower Sermon -> Ghosts N Stuff* -> Flower Sermon, The Surf , Dowrn, Plant Your Root -> 128, Encore: Bush Pilot.

See, as a DJ/Producer junkies, we are all at the show to see the same guy (cause there is only one) or if 2 guys, they are both standing right next to each other, however, I learned from some friendly Lotus fans that at their shows there is an added element. Mike Rempel, Jesse Miller, and Luke Miller all have their own little fandomania within the Lotus fan family. Once alerted to this fact, I could not help but revel the all out Lotus fans in the pit each paying tribute to their music hero’s. Luke Millers diehard fans on the left Jesse Millers upfront dead center, and Mike Rempel’s tribe to the right. So there were sections of fans within fans, super cool, I got a kick out of it. It was also noteworthy that it was not a mad rush, fans were friendly so you could move to the side you wanted to be on.

 

 Can’t say enough about how awesome the fans/crowd was, big props to the way everyone at the show got down and funky with it. All 5 band members really put on a great show, great emotion and theatrics as they let loose in NYC. Seriously, I sometimes do miss seeing someone rock out on guitar and jumping around putting on a show (cause I totally got to see that tonight).  The bands chemistry all night like a fluid fire, burning the trough the set, jumping seamlessly along without a break with one another. It was awesome.

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