Venue: Eventim Apollo, London
Date: October 6, 2015
Snarky Puppy certainly are a one-of-a-kind type of collective band. One may think they are still “underground”, but turns out the Apollo was packed with – surprisingly – armies of young fans longing to see the New York based band play live in front of their eyes. The band has also earned a good amount of appraisals by renowned critics from the music industry, which makes them cool and respectable.
The point is: Snarky Puppy are cool, indeed. No wonder their ability as musicians precedes them, also thanks to the latin-trance-electronic-acid-fusion-jazz influences in their impossible-to-label style. Snarky Puppy seamlessly fuses a deep knowledge and respect for musical tradition with sonic and conceptual innovation in a way that is able to reach the most critical- or most carefree- audience. The group is led by award-winning bassist/guitarist/composer/arranger Michael League, who schmoozed us for being such a wonderful audience, recalling that the first time the band played the UK, only two years ago, it drew a crowd of 450. Now here were 4,000 ecstatic youths punching the air.
Every number launched off with a wiry bass guitar or keyboard lick, just irregular enough to tease the ear without suppressing the body.
The band has made a strong commitment to spreading their love of music and general positivity to a young generation looking for something real to be inspired by.
One only recommendation: make sure you catch them live wherever you are and prepare for an evening that might go on for a much longer time than predicted.
Photogallery by Oscar Tornincasa: