Hallelujah and Huzzah! Garaj Mahal Back in Action!
It is so wonderful having Garaj Mahal back on the scene. We commented back in the fall about their return from hiatus and their then-upcoming Suwannee Hulaween appearance (read that story here).
https://www.facebook.com/kai.eckhardt.94/videos/10217072732265236/
About Hulaween, we reported:
The overwhelming majority of folks were heading to the Meadow for the night’s final set there, Odesza. But Garaj Mahal was about to begin on Spirit Lake. I’ve written a good bit about this amazing band and why this was my must-see performance (other than Jamiroquai). The last time they played at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park was at Bear Creek Music and Arts Festival 2010. They played the Music Hall November 11th and then the big tent in the meadow the following day. And the band disbanded/went on hiatus early in 2011; they performed for the first time since the breakup last summer and then again in May in Colorado, so this was a truly significant event.
How did they open after saying hello? With “Never Give Up” and “Hindi Gumbo,” the first two songs from that final Bear Creek set. It was magical. Fareed Haque was brilliant on guitar, joined by equally amazing Kai Eckhardt on bass. With them were two new cats, and both of them helped blow this set sky-high. Keyboard wizard Osam Ezzeldin was astounding on electric piano (in addition to his organ and synths), and drummer Dana Hawkins was spot on.
Next they grabbed another tune from that Bear Creek setlist, “Semos.” I think Haque was playing his Moog guitar at least part of the time. AB FAB. Haque then dedicated “Breathe” to Roger Waters. This was a brooding take on the song; it was OK but no match for the band’s original music. They roared back with another original. Told they had a few minutes left, the quartet put heads together and came up with a terse reading of “Paladin,” not coincidentally the LAST song they had played at Bear Creek. [OK, they swear it was “Jamie’s Jam.”]
https://www.facebook.com/kai.eckhardt.94/videos/10217079197226856/
And now the quartet has a pair of dates this weekend at Chicago’s Chop Shop and then three shows in April. We certainly hope there will be more on the way!
GARAJ MAHAL
01/11 Chop Shop | Chicago IL w/ Spare Parts
01/12 Chop Shop | Chicago IL w/ Spare Parts
04/18 The Ardmore Music Hall | Ardmore PA
04/19 5 Point Music Sanctuary | Roanoke VA
04/20 Salvage Station | Asheville NC
GARAJ MAHAL
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