Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

On Friday night, Steven and I went to a show at Higher Ground. I hadn't heard of either band prior to that night but, a few people had recommended the show, so...off we went! When we arrived, the Ballroom, (the larger of the two rooms there) was pretty empty. The Bad Rabbits, from Boston, MA were the first band to play. At first, Steven and I couldn't figure them out. They were sort of funky, with some occasional dark rock undertones. The lead singer bounced into and out of his falsetto voice. He could really carry a tune! After the first few very dance-able songs were performed, we decided we liked them! I'd have a hard time categorizing their sound if someone asked but, they really got the crowd going and the band was tight. By the time they had finished their set, the room was full and the show had SOLD OUT!

Steven, Ted, Tay and I managed to find a spot closer to the stage for the headliners, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. The Dap-Kings came on stage first. They're a group of 8 guys (3 horns, 3 guitar players, 2 percussionists). They opened with two instrumental songs. So good. As Steven said, "this is real music!" Finally, Sharon Jones came out and filled the room with her crazy dance moves, huge smile and even bigger voice! She and her band played practically non-stop for well over an hour. Even when she wasn't singing she was still performing. Her banter with the crowd was also done in her singing voice so, the band never lost momentum. She really got the audience involved too. Here are some highlights:

• plucking four women from the crowd to join her on stage for one song to just LET LOOSE and dance

• inviting a contest winning couple in their early 50's to have a dance on stage together with her

• teaching a young, handsome man from the crowd how to to be, "easy"

• finding two young men who were willing to come on stage just to be, hip-checked off when Sharon decided they were, "NO GOOD!!"

• doing the shorter person's version of the "Tina Turner shimmy" 

This woman has NO inhibition. It was amazing to see her perform...to just sing, dance and share herself and her spirit with the crowd. Every once and awhile she would check in with us, "Do you like that?" Then she would wink. Saucy!

The final song Sharon performed, was a gospel song. Before she sang, she explained (in her singing voice) why this song was appropriate to sing, on this occasion at Higher Ground. "Ya see, the first time I was here, I played in the smaaaaall room. The second time I played, I played in the smaaaall room. I told the people here that the next time I came, I wanted to play in the biiiiiig room. This time I'm playing in the BIIIIG room and we're SOLD OUT!!!" The crowd went nuts cheering and dancing, not just the front rows either. The whole place was moving! Wowsa. What a great time!

"Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are widely thought to be at the forefront of a revivalist movement that aims to capture the essence of funk/soul music as it was at its height in the mid-1960s to mid-1970s. Part of the way this is achieved is to shun modern digital recording methods in favour of using traditional analogue recording equipment. The type of instruments used by the band may also be considered limited to those that would have been available up until the mid seventies."