Everyone in Lawrence looking for something fun to do out on the town on 4/20 was sure to have some fun, since Downtown Lawrence itself was full of fun-lovers partying like it was a Friday. But the best show usually costs the most money, and it's not always worth it, and that was true last night, as Shpongle played at the Granada for $20, a hefty price, for a weeknight DJ show.
The opener Prometheus was mediocre at best. A mix of good quality techno, and terrible, repetitive, juvenile electronica is not what one expects to endure for $20. Not every DJ is a prodigy and even good DJs have bad moments, but Prometheus went on forever, teasing the crowd with gems buried in crap.
According to Shpongle fans, there is usually a whole band, with guitarists, drummers and keyboardists mixing together the pieces of their songs to make each show unique. Apparently most of the band stays in Europe, where the band is most popular. Last night was just a single DJ working the table on the massive stage.
Without anyone allowed to dance or party on stage, it felt like a relatively empty, inactive space for everyone to be facing as they danced. However, Shpongle goes heavy on the ambient side of electronic, and so the performance included visuals projected on a screen above the stage, which the crowd was expected to stare at as they listened to the trippy melodies. Sadly these visuals were far from compelling. Shpongle still uses the same psychedelic native-mask image it's had for years. That same picture mixed with a small handful of other pictures, which flash and blink, turn and kaleidoscope across the screen in simplistic, repetitive motions, is the entirety of the visual entertainment for the hours of techno. Overall the visuals were unoriginal and obnoxious. It's possible that the most inebriated fans could find something entertaining about the static images, but for anyone remotely close to sober, it was just awful. For good visuals in a similar musical setting, try Bassnectar.
When it came to music, Shpongle was the perfect rave DJ. Songs ranged in style from bass-thumping grinders to airy, psychedelic jams. Shpongle's brand of techno includes a great deal of world-music influence. Some songs seem to be borne from a Spanish Flamenco dance or a British anthem.
The crowd danced its heart out, filling the Granada to the brink with writhing, ecstatic bodies. People came out for the show in full rave gear, others completely unprepared. Girls were hula hooping in the alcoves and people on the dance floor swung glowsticks to the rhythms. Unfortunately security was tight, so people could not celebrate the holiday to their heart's content, but it was still a good time for anyone who had pre-partied.
Ultimately, the opening act, and setting were not perfect for a 4/20 celebration, but the music was good, and people had fun, so the show was certainly a success. The one-man act of Shpongle was making his first appearance in Lawrence, but hopefully not his last.
Now for previews:
Friday, April 23rd, That 1 Guy will be playing the Bottleneck for $8. That 1 Guy, Mike Silverman's latest album, "Packs a Wallop!" exemplifies his wicked skill and wide variety of styles based heavily around funk and jam. Songs carry a dance-able beat while sounding reminiscent of Frank Zappa's quirky pieces or Rush's prog rock. His ridiculous one-man-performance promises to be even more impressive in person than on your computer. That 1 Guy uses instruments such as the Magic Pipe, which is a series of tubes, bass strings and electric buttons put together to make a bizarre, original instrument. This is a must-see show. It starts at 9 p.m.
Saturday, April 24th, The Spook Lights will be playing the Replay Lounge for a mere $2! The local psychedelic, surf, rockabilly gods always play a fantastic, energizing show that's too exciting to miss. See past reviews of The Spook Lights. They will be playing along with Bandit Teeth, and Psychedelic Horseshit. The show starts at 10 p.m.
Sunday, April 25th, Pretty Lights is playing Liberty Hall. The show costs about $21, but promises to be a funky, electronic dance party of the highest caliber. Pretty Lights plays at such epic music festivals as Wakarusa and Summer Camp Music Festival. Anyone who likes to get down and boogie, even on a Sunday night, should be there. Doors open at 8 p.m.
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