“Brand New Bands” Voodoo Visionary, Ajeva at Crowbar
(I will repost this with photos when available, but Orlando needs the word NOW! Voodoo Visionary and Chuck Magid & Friends tonight at Will’s Pub — Saturday, June 1.)
Let me tell you about two great new bands I saw last night at Crowbar in Tampa (May 31). One of them is Ajeva, from Gulfport FL, and the other is Voodoo Visionary, from Atlanta.
Wait. What? You say you’ve heard them before? They’re not new bands!
Well, yes and no. I’ve heard each of these bands at least 16 times, but the two bands I heard last night were brand new. Reinvented. Evolved. Each has made a quantum leap to a new astral plane. And you’d be hard pressed to find anyone there who disagrees.
Let me make this perfectly clear: the “old” Ajeva and the “old” Voodoo Visionary were superb bands. Over the past five years or so, each band has indeed changed and evolved, and their playing has improved and matured. These new versions are just… different, and incredible.
When last we saw Ajeva, at Hometeam New Year’s Rally, the band played a wonderful set. We were all caught off guard when guitarist Skyler Golden announced that he was leaving the band due to physical problems with his hand or arm. At the time, they introduced Elliot Dickinson, whom we already knew, and Mike Nivens, whom many of us did not know, as the band’s new guitarists.
Fast forward five months. This was the first unveiling of this edition of Ajeva, perhaps Ajeva 3.0 or something. And this set was simply mid-blowing. It was, in large part, a brand new setlist, and vocalist Reed Skahill says they are working toward a new album with this new material.
They opened with the funk favorite “Do You Wanna Get Down?”, then “Simulation Portrait” and “745.” Nivens and Dickinson were killing on guitars. And the rhythm section of Ajeva is absolutely rock-solid, with Taylor Gilchrist on bass and Travis ‘Too Tall’ Young on drums. Skahill was styling with a great white jacket as they band romped through “Motown Money.” Mark Mayea danced over his keyboards: synths, organ, electric piano, and clavinet.
Dickinson is a fine vocalist, and he sang “To Welcome You,” followed by another great new tune, “Childhood” with Skahill back on vocal. “New Shiznit” is also indeed new, and it was also excellent, the guitar pyrotechnics really exploding, Nivens first, then Dickinson. The deep groove jam out of “Waves” took us to “Funky Green Men,” always a fan favorite. MC Nook came up for a rap, followed by solos from Nivens and then Mayea on synths. Perfection.
[AJEVA: Do You Wanna Get Down?, Simulation Portrait, 745, Motown Money, To Welcome You, Childhood, New Shiznit, Waves, Funk Green Men]
Now it was Voodoo Visionary’s turn. This was opening night of their summer campaign (they had a pair of Memorial Day weekend shows), and they were primed and ready. Like Ajeva, the Atlanta quintet* has had several personnel changes recently. Trent Gilson joined the band on bass in December. This was the fifth time I’ve seen him perform with the band, but it was the first time I listened. The bottom line — pun intended — was that Gilson and drummer Mac Schmitz owned this entire performance. The two are just so deep in the pocket. And they were amply assisted by Jose “Pipo” Rivera on percussion* (especially since I ignored him in the preview — the sixth man).
Voodoo Visionary began with a real crowd-pleaser, the opening track from their sophomore album Off the Ground, “Cold Shallow Moon.” Of special notice was the contribution of new keyboard player Marcus White, who has been with the band at least since their two days at Funk Fest Punta Gorda in February. His synth work was delicious. To quote a phrase I’ve used often, this was, in the moment, AS GOOD AS IT GETS. The crowd was hanging on every note.
And then something happened I just don’t remember previously (memory is so tricky): a 20-minute romp through “Kang Gang > Dancin’ Feet,” a pair of tunes from debut album Spirit of the Groove. Gilson, Schmitz, and Rivera were on fire, and then Mike Wilson torched the first of his great guitar solos. As “Kang Gang” transitioned into “Dancin’ Feet” with another brilliant Wilson outing, White steered it into a deep jazz groove on synths, Wilson matching the groove. Rivera kicked out, then Schmitz before it became a glorious Latin vamp. Jaw on the floor.
After the title track to Off the Ground, singer/cheerleader Scottie MacDonald called up Skahill, Nivens, and Mayea, saying, “We’re gonna have some fun.” It’s a good thing he didn’t attempt to quantify that, because the next 20 minutes were ridiculous, and I will gladly deflect the brickbats of those who would pooh-pooh my assertion that this was my favorite version of “Shakedown Street.” Ever.
I had never seen VV cover a Dead tune before. They CRUSHED this. MacDonald, White and Skahill all sang. I tried to keep track of the solos, but, well… White first on synths, then Mayea, Wilson, then White on piano. MacDonald then brought the band on down behind him, encouraging Gilson, then Gilson-Schmitz-Rivera. Mayea and Nivens had the final two.
They played “Bring It Back,” And then Wilson said, “We’re going to play my favorite song. We didn’t write it.” And with that they offered up “What’s the Use,” a funky hip hop tune by Mac Miller. It was absolute perfection, deep, deep funk with MacDonald and White together singing the syncopated vocals. MC Nook returned to deliver one of the best raps I’ve ever heard from him, White on electric piano and more flashes from Wilson.
They closed with “Hold Tight,” which would dovetail perfectly with the chorus from “Undisco Kid” (just sayin’… “Move your sexy body; every time you wiggle, I hear the men holler for more”). It was a superb hour-and-a-half set, but the raucous crowd demanded more. I often complain because people stand around expecting an encore. That definitely was not the case at Crowbar, as the roar was loud and well-deserved.
Voodoo Visionary occasionally performs their Songs in the Key of Purple, their tribute to Stevie Wonder and Prince (they will play it June 16 at Hill Country Live in DC). From that setlist they encored with “1999” to great delight, whoops and hollers. They had invited Mayea back to the stage, and he soloed first on organ, then White on synths, and finally Wilson on guitar.
Fabulous night. You can blame all of them, but start with Gilson and Schmitz. The usual suspects. Because it’s all about that bass. And drums.
[VOODOO VISIONARY: Cold Shallow Moon, Kang Gang > Dancin’ Feet, Off the Ground, Shakedown Street w/ Mike, Mark, and Reed from Ajeva, Bring It Back, What’s the Use (Mac Miller cover ft. Nook), Hold Tight; Encore: 1999]
(P.S. Normally, I like the work of the house sound engineer, but last night was way too loud. Numerous music professionals commented, and you know my opinion. There were times during the Voodoo Visionary set that the vocals, keyboards, and guitar could barely be heard in the muddy mix. Louder isn’t better, just louder.)
