Luke the Knife [Live] Northeast Debut | B.B. King Blues Club | 01.26.2013

Luke the Knife LIVE ft. Chuck Morris

B.B. King Blues Club | Times Square, New York City, NY

01.26.2013

Words by: Steve Ledgers

“While the moon, slightly orange in glow, cast its reflected light upon the city that never sleeps, fans of Lotus found themselves running toward the sounds of Luke the Knife, wanting nothing more than to get down.”

 

The official Lotus after party to the preceding sold out show at Best Buy Theatre on January 26^th, served as front-man Luke Miller’s debut east coast appearance under the alias: Luke the Knife. About time the disco infused electronic funk made its groovy way to the east, if I don’t say so myself.

And so, Luke shelved the rhythm guitar, stashed away the keyboards, and busted out his mixer and laptop to provide a wave of dance music for fans not quite ready to sleep.

Standing outside of BB King’s Blues Club and Grill, as cars and taxis and trucks rushed by, you could hear the subtle underground thumping of a dance party, feel the vibrations surfacing, each one urging your feet to move. While the moon, slightly orange in glow, cast its reflected light upon the city that never sleeps, fans of Lotus found themselves running toward the sounds of Luke the Knife, wanting nothing more than to get down.

The show absolutely raged. Even more so, since, Chuck Morris, Lotus’ percussionist, had a chance to return to his roots, sitting in with Luke on a drum kit, which, at first, may seem out of character for him, but could not be further from the truth.

In speaking with Chuck on the way to the venue, I had a moment to absorb some insight into his history as a musician. He commented on how he was originally not a percussionist, how the kit was his true instrument, and how he never really explored percussion until becoming a member of Lotus, just over a decade ago.

Inside, this sentiment proved more than true, as the funky and dance-friendly sounds drifting through Lucille’s, electrified the crowd, and moved them through the night. Chuck quickly became a dynamic that set off Luke’s creations, enriching the music, and adding an organic feel to an electronic act.

Seeing Luke as a producer, or, more specifically, witnessing him take his keen sense of structure, of composition, and ear for taste, to the digital realm of music was captivating. He was in his zone, smiling more than usual, bobbing his head and dancing, occasionally raising a hand to prepare the crowd for an oncoming drop of a different bass-line, all the while appearing comfortable and vibrant in aspect. The chemistry between him and Chuck resonated through the tempo-switches, through the seamless transitions from song to song, sample to sample. A little over two hours the two band mates played their straight disco-funk, a feat for sure, considering they just came from a three-hour show.

When all was over, the crowd seemed to want more, as if they could have danced until the end of time. Not a single person wore a frown, or had a bad thing to say. There were smiles all around.

If you have an opportunity to see this act, and are into electronic funk, I suggest doing whatever you can to make Luke the Knife’s next set. Just make sure you bring your dancing shoes, and to dress the disco-part (fully encouraged by Luke himself), for his sounds will have you getting’ down, before you realize you’re even dancing.