Bloomington experienced a soul shakedown last Saturday night, and I can only thank my lucky stars that I was around to be a part of it.
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings made their first stop in town this past weekend for their show at Jake's with Menahan Street Band and Blackberry Jam, and I swear to every person that might be reading this post that this show was one of the greatest shows I have ever seen. And believe me, in my few years, I've seen quite a few.
If you want to read my IDS article about the show, check it out here. Also, make sure to check out Ted Somerville's amazing pictures from the show.
Anyway, I've got a soft spot for the sweet sounds of soul and funk music, and so the Dap-Kings' spot-on, modern-day interpretation of the older genre is absolutely mind-blowing. Sounding as tight as James Brown's famous backing band and commandeered by the petite-yet-powerful Miss Sharon Jones, their live show is an epic one that wakes you up, gets you on your feet, and keeps you dancing until the last member leaves the stage after their set is finally done.
I arrived at Jake's with a large group of friends, all Sharon Jones fans, and I think they were the giddiest bunch in the entire venue. We made our way up front and eagerly anticipated the band's arrival onstage. Every once in a while, one of the Dap-Kings would stroll out casually for a sound check, and our anticipation grew even more--they were taunting us, and we wanted more.
Finally, the band made its way on the stage, and the electricity in the air seemed to double. People were buzzing and waiting for that very first note that would tip the night off into oblivion. Looking too cool for anyone else in the room, bassist and Daptone Records co-founder Gabriel "Bosco Mann" Roth and guitarist Binky Griptite held such a presence on the stage, and before Sharon arrived, I was hanging on their every move. Oh, and did I mention that Binky is my new man crush? Just sayin'.
So after a nice number led by Griptite, he commenced with an illustrious introduction, welcoming the crowd to the "Daptone Super Soul Revue" and bringing the lovely Miss Sharon Jones to the stage. As soon as she arrived in her brightly colored orange dress and gold high-heels, the crowd went nuts. That woman had such a command of the audience from that very first second, and we wouldn't break out of her spell until the night was finally over.
They launched into the set with "I'm Not Gonna Cry," and played other songs such as "How Do You Let a Good Man Down?" "Nobody's Baby" and "Be Easy" throughout the night. Lots of solid hits from their 2007 release 100 Days, 100 Nights and a few others from past albums thrown in the mix.
The Dap-Kings even threw in a few covers, including a short bit of "Tighten Up" by Archie Bell & the Drells (although I think I may have been the only one in my vicinity to actually squeal with excitement when they played this) and for their encore, a beautifully heavy rendition of "A Change is Gonna Come" that had fans around the venue throwing their arms around each other and swaying in unison as they belted out the words to the '60s Sam Cooke hit.
Throughout the show, Jones invited multiple male fans (and yes, a few ladies, too) to dance with her onstage, providing endless entertainment for the rest of the audience, and most likely, for the singer herself. Boring holes into their souls with her eyes and singing oh-so-seductively, these men fell into trance-like states, hardly able to dance and not peeling their eyes off the woman for more than second. One of my friends (a HUGE Sharon Jones fan) was lucky enough to be chosen (or really, pushed on stage by another friend), and after managing to keep his cool on stage, I think the first words he uttered after coming back into the crowd were something like, "I'm going to die."
After the show ended, I couldn't believe how quickly it had passed. It was electrifying and had me completely enraptured the entire time. I honestly can't think of a moment where my eyes weren't glued to the stage (or maybe Binky Griptite?) to see that powerful woman belt out some funky stuff or bust out one of her wild dance moves. And to think...she's 52-years-old? I think she has more energy than I do.
And the band? There are not enough good things to be said about how skilled they are. Homer kept a tight, steady beat throughout the night, Daptone co-founder Neal Sugarman punched up the horn section with his smooth sax sounds, Bosco (the unofficial band leader) kept a steady groove and made sure the band stopped and started on a dime, and Griptite added a beautiful, chiming guitar and vocal melodies throughout. They are mindblowingly good at what they do and truly represent the "soul" of a soul band.
Afterward a few of the band members made their way out to the venue to talk to some fans (including Griptite, but after shaking his hand, I didn't have much more courage to actually talk because I'm kind of lame). A few of my eager friends pounced on Bosco and then Neil Sugarman (whose name they took to shouting out repeatedly throughout the night), and I even managed to steal Bosco away for a quick minute for an interview. For the record, he was a very, very nice guy--the kind you'd want to sit around and share a drink with while listening to some old Motown records.
And so that was my magical night with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. As talented as they are funky, this is one band you must try to see by any means possible. It will, in fact, change your life.
P.S. Did I mention that all I want for Christmas is my own Binky Griptite? Please and thank you.
More photos from the night, all by David Hassell:
Story by Kelsey McArdle
