Lotus
House of Blues | Boston, MA | 10.21.2017
Words By: Michael Urban
Photos By: Jason Hanney (DYFO Media)
Addition Photo Credit: T. McGuire
Words By: Michael Urban
It had been three years and three months since I had last seen the jamtronica, post-rock band Lotus play live. I remember it well, Gathering of the Vibes 2014, Bridgeport, CT they performed their Talking Heads Deconstructed set. This all goes without saying that from 2008 in Amsterdam when I first stumbled upon seeing the band to August 2014, I had traveled the country seeing the quintet well over 60 times watching both as a fan and as a critic.
At the House of Blues on October 21st 2017 in the shadows of Fenway Park’s Green Monster on Lansdowne Street in Boston, Massachusetts, Lotus performed one of the best sets I’ve ever seen from them. During my time away from attending their live shows, I still remained current listening to the shows on Nugs.net and their new studio work, but nothing compared to what I witnessed on that Saturday night.
“As Spaghetti started and Mike Rempel weaved in and out with his guitar, tossing notes into the air and moving onto the next with a groove of ease and precision”
Starting out with Wax the boys dropped into their jam strengths quickly. With the stage cleanly set, and retro type cinema lights (seemingly straight off the set of the movie Aviator) lit up behind the band things quickly came to a roar. As Spaghetti started and Mike Rempel weaved in and out with his guitar, tossing notes into the air and moving onto the next with a groove of ease and precision, I realized just how much I had missed this. With the help from the rest of the band (Mike Greenfield, Jesse Miller, Luke Miller, Chuck Morris) Lotus segued into the trance of Livingston Storm. To end the first set fans were brought to a blissfully clear state with the boisterous Gilded Age.
Bringing new friends and loved ones to see Lotus for the first time and running into old friends who also made many of the same journeys with me, had me realizing that the good vibes and pure love and bliss from this music we cherish has not changed…
As the second set started with the introspective Destroyer fans in Boston were soon treated to only the third Travel of 2017. As the open notes rang out shouts went into the air and fans cheered as they knew that Travel was about to bring on that funk choo choo train that only Lotus can bring, taking us on a almost 30 minute ride including Umbilical Moonset > Soma > Greet the Mind. It was almost as if birds chirped from the rafters as fans in attendance were hit with a barrage of pleasurable sounds and effects all while Mike Greenfield (Drums) and Jesse Miller (Bass) held down the beat. It was Jesse Miller’s driving, hopping, skipping bass that kept me on my toes.
Not much of a breather was given before ending the second set with Sodium Vapor and a personal favorite, the tried and true 128.
“birds chirped from the rafters as fans in attendance were hit with a barrage of pleasurable sounds and effects”
The Saturday night show in Beantown was brought to a close with members of the Main Squeeze joining Lotus for a fitting jammed out cover of Childish Gambino’s – Have Some Love. …fan video of the song can be seen here. The rare collaboration of both bands was a treat for all.
Standing in the back watching the crowd file out with a huge smile on my face I couldn’t help, but think how far these guys have come. I would be remiss if I didn’t say that the sheer talent of these five gentlemen jiving cohesively as a unit to me in their current stage are in a class all by themselves in the jam scene.
……
After seeing so many shows and then taking so much time off I think the first word that comes to mind after seeing them is…polished..
this is a band who built a following the hard way working their way up from tiny places like Bill’s Bar in Boston, MA. Hitting the road year after year building a fanbase of dedicated listeners.
Simply put I guess if you know you got it…you got it and I could not be happier for this band.
Luke Miller – guitar/keyboards, Jesse Miller – bass and sampler, Mike Rempel – Guitar, Mike Greenfield – Drums, Chuck Morris – percussion
…As with all of the bands live shows you can buy a mixed soundboard recording here…
10/21/2017 | House of Blues | Boston, MA
Set 1
Wax, Blender, Eats The Light, Spaghetti > Livingston Storm > Gilded Age
Set 2
Destroyer, Travel > Umbilical Moonset > Soma > Greet the Mind, Sodium Vapor, 128
E: Have Some Love*
*Childish Gambino cover w/ The Main Squeeze
February 22, 2013
Jessica Shagalski — Hey ya'll - the gangs all here!
