The Bottleneck had its busiest Tuesday night in a long time when Lotus came to town to play a free show, packing the venue to capacity. Lotus took the stage around 10 p.m. and played continuously until 1 a.m. for a full house of loving fans.
The good folks at the Bottleneck were wise enough to remove several of the booths in the bar to make more room for folks to stand and dance around. The extra space was entirely necessary, as the Bottleneck gave away all 400 wristbands, and the dance floor was a crushing deluge of wild-eyed party people.
In all honesty, the music itself was not entirely dance-able. The crowd could either hop and twist to a racing drum beat, or sway to spacey, changing electronic melodies. Obviously it was far from bad, Lotus is well-known for their talent and epic electronic rock. But it wasn't everything it could have been. Still, it's hard to complain when the show is free.
Lotus' combination of drums, bass, guitar and synthesizer/keys made for a complex, intricate set of long, building electronic jams. The drums were usually so fast and loud they drowned out much of the rest of the music and with muted bass on the back-burner, the songs felt light and repetitive. The build-up of each song usually reached one great climax and then stopped. Right at the best part of the song, the bass heavy, the guitar and synthesizer at their crescendo, the song would suddenly end, or drop back into the airy emptiness.
Nonetheless the crowd fought for each inch of space across the entire dance floor. Lines of people stood on the bleachers for a better view of the show and a little space to shake around. With PBR cans for sale for just 2.50 at a second bar that was set up for the show, the crowd was sloshed and happy, even as they stood still or wiggled lightly to the scrambling percussion. It was a grand party of epic proportions and will be remembered for months.
Although the band put out a long, energetic set from 10 to 1, the early ending still left the crowd hungry for more. The encore started off with a rock 'n roll tune that left the crowd a little confused, but then Lotus finished up the night with a climactic last jam.
Now for Previews:
As previously mentioned in the last previews, Yonder Mountain String Band is playing two nights at Liberty Hall, Friday and Saturday. The show is going to be one of the biggest parties in Lawrence this year, but for everyone who cannot find or afford a ticket, there are alternatives Saturday night.
If you're dying for some bluegrass but can't make it to Liberty Hall, head over to the Bottleneck and see Split Lip Rayfield play with Reverend Horton Heat! The doors open at 8 p.m. This should be an affordable, awesome alternative to Yonder. Expect some music lovers from Yonder to hop over after their favorite songs.
The Cosmopolitics will play at the Granada at 9 p.m. with Approach, Animosity & the Freedom Writers, and Right of Way.
Saturday night is full of great options, so don't miss out on the fun!
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