Recently the missus and I ventured out of Chez Trapezoid to catch some live music, and I’m happy to report we were three for three with good shows. I was especially pleased as we had no idea who two of the three acts were before witnessing their performances. I’d like to tell you about it and, as a bonus if you read through this entire post, you’ll find out who has the photography talent the Trapezoid family.
First we caught Banda Magda. We were about 15 minutes late (what’s with a concert starting on time, anyway?) but were instantly captivated. Magda Giannikou has a wonderful stage presence and voice (even though she later told us she was fighting some throat issues, but we didn’t think it had any negative impact at all). The show was a trip around the world with some really engaging music that evoked the feel of different countries. I think I counted about 17 languages used in Magda’s singing.
Another pleasant surprise was that the keyboard (and occasional horn) player was none other Justin Stanton of Snarky Puppy fame. Apparently there is some regular cross-pollination between the two groups. The entire band, though, was really excellent. They gave off a vibe of having a great time (percussionists, I’m especially looking at you), and that certainly carried out to the audience. Magda even invited an oboe player to join part of the show – someone she happened to meet (at a college workshop she recently gave in another state) who happened to live in our area. In a word, the entire experience was delightful. Needless to say, the CD we picked up at the show is now on heavy rotation and the music is being “forced” on our friends.
By the way, at the time of this writing Banda Magda has a PledgeMusic campaign going for “Tigre, a collection of songs, instrumental music, stories, and short films about the many faces of fearlessness.”
And here’s my…ummm…excellent (?) photo of Banda Magda:
Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear is another group that grabs you instantly, and another one that was new to me before I sat down in their audience. The band is actually made up of the all-too-common rock concert staple of a mother/son guitar duo. Wait, what? That’s right, mom and son. And they were a great team, as you might guess. Madisen especially has a really amazing voice, rich and expressive (think maybe Darius Rucker with a wider range), but Mama adds a great counterpoint. They have really intricate tunes, and on stage present an overall relaxed and friendly vibe. The word for this one: sweet.
Here are Mrs. Trapezoid’s actual excellent photos of Madisen & Mama and of the next act I’ll mention:
Last but certainly not least was The Tallest Man on Earth. Our son Rhombus had turned us on to TTMOE (which is actually the performing name of Kristian Matsson from Sweden). His music has been heard a lot in our home this year. Truth be told, as we’ve been listening over the recent months I was much less captivated than my son or spouse. For me, though, seeing him live was a much different (and better) proposition.
Kristian is a captivating presence as he floats around the stage. And his voice had more richness than on record, which really added greatly to the performance. Unlike me, Mrs. T had no reservations about the band going in and thoroughly enjoyed the show as well. I’m sure the fact that Kristian was wearing what might be The Tightest Jeans on Earth (TTJOE) had nothing to do with her enjoyment of the show. And TTMOE clearly has a dedicated fan base, as evidenced by the many people around me singing along with all the songs.
To all three bands I say: Please come back; we’re already looking forward to seeing you again.