Favourite Singles of 2010: Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings

Great band, great gig, and a great video clip for the title-track from their latest album, I Learned the Hard Way. I swear, these guys have more soul than they know what to do with. Plus, I love the little introductory segment, with Sharon Jones and Lee Fields getting stuck into one another – the two have great chemistry. Anyone who hasn’t heard it should track down their duet, “Stranded (In Your Love)” from the second Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings album, Naturally. In the meantime, check out “I Learned the Hard Way”.

Gig Report: Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings

What a show! I missed out on seeing Sharon Jones during her PIAF visit a couple of years back, so I rushed at the opportunity to see her play this year. The show took place at The Fremantle Arts Centre, one of my favourite convert venues for its big, open layout, abundance of trees and generally laid-back atmosphere. I arrived with a few friends in time to catch the support act, which was a Latin trio whose name currently escapes me, who played a variety of South American styles on their combination of guitar, half-size guitar, flute, recorder, bass and an awesome electric harp. The harpist, who was also the main vocalist, was quite the showman, decked out in full Mariachi costume and regularly strutting his stuff and showing off his nimble fingerwork. His banter with the crowd was enjoyable, as he described the cultural background of his group’s songs and encouraged the attendees to dance and enjoy themselves, although at this stage almost everyone was relaxing, sitting on the grass. Still a wonderful opening act, though. They definitely got me – and, I assume, many others – in the mood to dance, party and have a great time.

During the interlude between acts, my friends and I managed to secure a good spot from which to view the action – about 3 or 4 rows (standing) back from the stage and just a couple of metres off-centre. Barring one guy smoking some very pungent weed and a wasted fellow who regularly yelled annoying, incomprehensible nonsense while bumping into those around him, the nearby crowd members were mostly good folks, so thankfully I have no major crowd-related displeasure to report, unlike some recent gigs I’ve attended. A couple of eyebrow-raising instances led to my friend calling me a “gig Nazi”. I suppose that’s a fair call, but damn it, I like to enjoy my gigs free of irritating distraction. Especially the ones that cost $65 to attend!

The Dap-Kings hit the stage a good ten minutes before we even got to see Miss Jones herself, and they did a wonderful job warming everybody up with some tight grooves, call and response with the crowd and a Dap-Kings-only number where the vocals were handled by their (very capable) lead guitarist, who also acted as something of a master of ceremonies for the rest of the evening. By the time he introduced Sharon Jones the crowd was going crazy, and the band leapt straight into it from there and didn’t let up until the vocals-and-guitar-only breather of “Mama Don’t Like My Man”, around 45 minutes later.

The Dap-Kings are one of those incredibly tight and reliable bands that obviously benefit from years of experience and built cohesion. They locked down some amazing rhythms and, with the sound levels being just perfect, every component of their huge sound – guitars, bass, sax, trumpet, drums, bongos, tambourines and backing vocalists – was individually identifiable while combining to create a huge, funky backdrop. It also allowed for some killer solo breakouts, with the trumpet player in particular delivering a couple of delicious star turns.

And then there’s Sharon Jones herself. Jones is a short woman in her mid-50s, and she’s initially got such an unassuming visual presence – she looks like she could be your friend’s Mum! During the gig she sang something along the lines of “When I get this mic in my hands, I just go crazy!“. Truer words have rarely been spoken. Jones was a marvel, launching herself around the stage for a full ninety minutes with almost limitless energy, belting out her tunes with a degree of passion and gusto that would probably lead some other vocalists to a premature collapse! The dance moves, the gestures, the banter, the good-natured spirit, the interaction with her band and, oh my God, the attitude. All those “Uh huh, you know it” moments where she just knew she had the crowd in the palm of her hand. She even brought a few members of the crowd up on stage to dance with her during a couple of the songs, including a few little kids who obviously had a blast. I think she might be the coolest person on the planet.

Coolest person on the planet? Maybe.

The tour was in support of the group’s new album I Learned the Hard Way. When I first heard the album, I wrote a little snippet review which read:

“I can’t help but feel that I Learned the Hard Way sounds, for the first time, like Sharon Jones is making music on somebody else’s terms, as though it had been produced out of a sense of demand and obligation, rather than pure, internal passion and joy. That might be way off the mark but, I don’t know, it just feels like that spark isn’t quite there, at least not as much as before. That being said, she remains a remarkable performer, incapable of crafting music that doesn’t cut straight through to your bones and ignite your soul, so even if this isn’t quite the masterpiece that 100 Days, 100 Nights was, it’s still a great addition to her and the Dap-Kings’ catalogue. Well worth adding to your collection.”

Having now heard her perform many of these songs live, and having witnessed the conviction and joy she puts into ever moment, there’s no way I can say that Jones is making music on anybody’s terms but her own. It’s true that I still don’t like the album as much as a couple of her previous works, but damn, it’s a great bunch of songs. I particularly enjoyed the live renditions of “I Learned the Hard Way”, “Better Things”, “Window Shopping”, “If You Call” and “Mama Don’t Like My Man”, so I imagine the album, and those songs in particular, will be growing on me in the coming weeks.

Other highlights included “How Do I Let a Good Man Down?”, “Natural Born Lover” and the incredible “100 Days, 100 Nights”. I love the tempo change at the end of the latter, and Jones even made a big deal of it by leading in with a bit of a “now I’m going to slow this thing down” spoken-word and groove-loop interlude that really built up my anticipation, and then the ending finally blew me away. It worked perfectly. I don’t think there were any other songs from 100 Days, 100 Nights, which was a shame as its my favourite of their albums. It would have been great to hear “Be Easy”, “Let Them Knock”, “Humble Me” or my personal favourite “Nobody’s Baby”, but you can’t have everything. The song selection was still first-rate, and there wasn’t a dull moment for the entire show.

I’ve had a “Top 10 Gigs I’ve Ever Attended” feature lingering in the back of my mind for a while now. If I ever get around to doing it, I think there’s a very good chance that this show will be in there somewhere. What a fantastic night.

Upcoming Gigs

There’s a few interesting shows coming up, and I’ve been trying to decide on which of them, if any, to spend my hard-earned dollars.

On November 12th, Damo Suzuki, the frontman of legendary psychedelic-rock group Can, will be playing a solo show at The Bakery. I’m not sure what Suzuki is up to these days, so I don’t really have much of an idea what to expect. Still, it’s a show by one of the central members of one of my favourite groups ever (anyone who hasn’t heard Tago Mago is missing out on a near-religious experience), which, even on its own, is enough to grab my attention. Plus it’s less than $30, which strikes me as quite a steal.

Moving on to the 13th, another solo show, this time by Drones frontman Gareth Liddiard. Liddiard recently released his solo debut Strange Tourist and is playing a set in support of the release at Mojos in Fremantle. I haven’t heard the album yet, but I’ve heard good things, and Liddiard’s red-raw vocals and evocative songwriting have always been a major appeal in The Drones music. Could be worth a look, and not much of a risk at only $22.

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings are returning to WA. I was very disappointed to miss the show they did as part of PIAF a couple of years ago, so I’m really stoked to hear that they’re coming back, this time for an outdoor show at The Fremantle Arts Centre on December 12th. Jones and her Dap-Kings are one of, if not the best group making funk/soul music today, leading the charge in a genre-revival that’s been gathering a whole lot of steam since the mid-2000s, and they supposedly put on a killer live show to boot. Hardly surprising, given that Jones is such a seasoned veteran of a performer. The only downside – $60 tickets. It was only $40 a couple of years ago at PIAF! I guess they must be gaining a lot of cred and popularity. Last time they sold out, so I’d better make up my mind soon.

Finally, there’s an El Guincho gig at The Bakery on December 17th. The Spanish artist (real name Pablo Díaz-Reixa) plays a style of sample-driven pop music that sees him regularly compared to Animal Collective and Panda Bear, and indeed his music is filled with the same feel-good vibes. The key difference is the international flavour infused into Díaz-Reixa’s music. His debut album Alegranza is upbeat and unrelentingly high-spirited, never descending into insular trippiness and remaining in-the-moment throughout, making the album sound like a huge street party. As he’s augmenting his deck-work with a full live band, I can definitely see this being a lively and highly enjoyable show. Tickets are $40.

Record Shopping Adventures in Melbourne

I recently returned from my first trip to Melbourne (which, combined with laziness/sickness the week after my return, explains the lack of content on here recently). I prepared myself with a little self-made guide to record stores in the Melbourne CBD. And so, armed with my google map and a sense of adventure, I set about exploring what Australia’s culture-capital had to offer in the way of good music.

As it turned out, many of the record stores were a teensy bit underwhelming. They weren’t bad, but they weren’t amazing either. Polyester Records seemed a lot like Melbourne’s version of 78s – a fairly indie-centric outlet without many surprises or hidden treasures to be found – only without the substantial $10 racks (there was one small one, which included a tempting copy of Otis Redding’s Otis Blue, which I left behind for some reason which no longer makes any sense). Record Collector’s Corner was better, featuring a rather eclectic selection that I could have spent a heck of a lot of time delving into. I only managed to explore it for the better part of an hour. Once again, there wasn’t much in the way of discount stock (I think I’ve been spoilt by Dirt Cheap CDs), but there were plenty of interesting bits and pieces that caught my eye. Once again, though, I left empty-handed. Once again, I left something on the shelf that I kind of wish I’d grabbed (a $10 Chicago Blues compilation). Wax Museum barely registered – a small shop with a focus on DJ vinyl that was only noteworthy for providing my friend with a $5 copy of Arular.

It sounds a bit disappointing so far (and I suppose it was), but all this was changed when I checked out Off the Hip Records. This place specialises in garage, funk, soul, psych-pop, etc, and as soon as I walked in I knew I was somewhere pretty damn awesome. Located in a basement (through an almost entirely unmarked entry way – so secret!) with that sort of disorganised appearance (loads of unshelved CDs and cool posters all over the place, and there was a small kitchen located behind the counter) that make record stores feel more like neat hangouts that happen to sell a bunch of vinyl, I think I could have spent days in there. They had a very impressive selection of CDs, including a great and reasonably priced second-hand section. Well, I say “section”, but it was actually a bunch of cardboard boxes tucked under the shelves that the guy running the store helped me to search through. The owner was a really nice bloke. Apparently Off the Hip doubles as a record label (check out their website), and he divides his time between running the shop and managing the label. I’ll have to check out some of their bands – they’re likely to appeal, given the style of music in which he specialises. In the end, I restrained myself from blowing hundreds of dollars in there and settled for three discs:

The Gories - I Know You Be Houserockin'

Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings - Naturally

The Hunches - Yes. No. Shut It.

The first is a killer 2-album pack (I Know You Fine but How You Doin’? and Houserockin’) by The Gories, the former band of 80s garage-rock legend Mick Collins (who spends his time these days as frontman for The Dirtbombs). The second is the sophomore effort by funky soul-revival group Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (who are, incidentally, coming to Perth for a gig in December). The third is one of the best garage-punk albums I’ve ever heard – The Hunches are a whirlwind of sheer noisy chaos. There aren’t many albums that amp up my adrenaline levels quite like this one. I’ve also never seen The Gories and Hunches albums in a record store before, so they were pretty awesome finds.

So, if you’re ever in Melbourne and want to check out a very cool little shop, I suggest you give Off the Hip a try. If Perth had a dedicated garage/soul/funk/etc shop that was half as awesome, I’d be a very happy man.

Final side note – I found a surprise gem at the ACMI gift shop after seeing the Tim Burton exhibition:

The Billy Nayer Show - The American Astronaut

Nice!