Funk Gods Be Praised! Lettuce Tour Early 2019
January 25th, Friday night, Music City Nashville, Tennessee. The city is alive with all different breeds of music, but tonight’s headliner, in our eyes at least, is Lettuce. For those unfamiliar with the Boston-based ensemble, Lettuce is a six-piece funk band whom many consider the true carriers of the jam/funk moniker into the next generation. Regardless of belief in them being the purveyor of the funky philosophy, one truth is hard to argue, that being that they are one of the best modern funk bands in the world.
Few bands today have the ability or tenacity to stand alone, but Lettuce is not a band that succumbs to the pressure to add extras to their shows. Friday in Nashville was no exception. The playbill for the evening was nothing but a large helping of Lettuce, and the band started promptly at 9:45 PM. As the lights dipped low to announce the band taking the stage, the crowd hooted and catcalled, especially for bass player Eric (Jesus) Coomes.
Just ten minutes before the show started, I looked around the room and found that Nashville’s Marathon Music Works was mostly an empty room, with only slightly more than two handfuls of the faithful pressed to the railing. After spending my first 30 minutes of the show snapping photos of the band, I went to exit the front area only to find it necessary to walk outside onto the smoking area and around to the other side to make my way across the room because it was so packed with dancing fans.
The fans are, in this writer’s opinion, the real stars of the show here. Many come dressed in various types of outfits ranging from festival hippie chic to disco domination. The disco-crew was arguably my favorite of the evening, complete with large mutton-chop facial hair and collars just as large. With their costumes assembled, the crowd moved and swayed with the beat, and of course coming from Lettuce it is one of the funkiest beats around. The crowd’s energy pushed the evening forward until a brief intermission.
Arguably, the first half of the show was a simple warmup for the band, as they came out from a more psychedelic opening half to a pure funk second act that ensured no one in the building left early. With a greater tempo and the band feeling loose, the horns, keys, and strings synced up just right with the crowds state of mind. This was my first time seeing Lettuce outside of the festival setting, and they did not disappoint. While I generally prefer getting to move and groove in a large open space, the upgrade in specialized lighting for this show was a welcome tradeoff and really drew me in to the show more. Overall the final verdict is that all Lettuce is good Lettuce, and you should catch them at any forum they play near you!
LETTUCE Upcoming Shows:
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About the writer:
Zach Sanders is a husband, social worker, photojournalist, wannabe podcaster, and music festival addict. Since his first Bonnaroo in 2014, he has been on a journey of self-discovery, hitting every festival he can along the way, and finding a way to integrate his love for them into every aspect of his life. He’s definitely that guy at the party talking your ear off about his next or most recent festival, as well as name dropping 40 bands you have never heard of as though he knows each member personally. Follow him on Instagram at @the_fest_life, or check out his podcast on Spotify at The Fest Life Podcast!