Photos by Kelly Hueseman
The Scene: Red Rocks Amphitheatre has seen a lot of moisture over the past month so it wasn’t surprising when Friday’s much anticipated evening with Lettuce, The Motet, Exmag and DJ Jazzy Jeff began with another drenching monsoon thunderstorm very similar to the infamous 2011 String Cheese Incident flash flood that we will never forget. During the latter half of the opening act, ominous black clouds billowed behind the venue and unleashed a brief but violent torrent of water, wind and lightning that sent fans scrambling into bathrooms and under makeshift shelter as waterfalls cascaded off the rocks and turned the stairs into raging rivers of mud. It was truly a crazy scene but by 9:00 the storm had passed and fans slowly emerged from their caves, many, like myself, totally soaked but ready to dance. The benches filled up quickly as the sky slowly cleared, squeegees were deployed, and about 9:30 the local Motet boys took the stage and delivered an astounding and much needed set of music.
The Motet: As the clock struck 9:30, The Motet walked out on stage to a jubilant crowd that seemed to collectively breath one giant sigh of relief as the lights lowered and the Funk took hold. Friends who were uncomfortably shivering around me were quickly brought back to consciousness as the eerie horns and funky drum roll of “Rynodub” filled the air. Throughout the set, The Motet seamlessly blended Funk, Afro-Beat, Jazz and Reggae into a ball of unrelenting energy. Vocalist Jans Ingber was particularly spry as he bounced around the stage the entire set and brought the frenzied crowd to another level.
It was comforting to see the band building the evening’s events so effectively into the set and having so much fun in the process. Crazy weather events always lead to the best parties at Red Rocks and the Motet delivered one of the best sets I have ever seen them play. It’s a well-deserved honor for the band and many of the local musicians involved. The Motet have seen many talented musicians come and go over the years but the group has continued to believe in the power of steadfast touring and a never say die homage to the true originators of Funk and Soul music.
Lettuce: The set included founding guitarist Eric Krasno who has been noticeably absent from several shows over the past few months as he pursues other projects. As expected, Eric was given the solo reigns several times and the results were near perfect. Although it was tough knowing we were witnessing a shortened show, The Lettuce family brought the heat the only way they know how, by dropping a torrent of Funk!
While sadly some fans had succumbed to the storm it left lots of space at the top of the venue and a calm atmosphere. It seemed like there was noticeable urgency from Lettuce to let loose as a way to make up for the delays from the horrible weather earlier in the evening. The sound certainly wasn’t perfect as several small audio glitches and cutouts plagued much of the performance. As the night progressed, the crowd energy seemingly became an unleashing of frustration for people whose plans were altered throughout the last month because of foul weather. I enjoyed this attitude but the band was hyper active and not necessarily as cohesive as they could be. Although the song selection from Lettuce was interesting and drew some wide eyes from diehard fans in the crowd, an excellent two-pieced “King of the Burgs” propelled the middle of the set and a late appearance from venerable vocalist Nigel Hall soothed any pain from the swampy wet and cold that was still invading the lower half of my body. This was certainly the most fun I’ve had a show in 2015 and the summer is still young.
Energy: A
Sound: B-
Musicianship: A
Stage Presence: A
Set/Light Show: B+
Overall: A-
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