There I was again in a small, dark and, for lack of a better term, dead Mercury Lounge. Used beer cups were
thrown about and as you walked your shoes were grabbed by alcohol or whatever
else was spilled during the previous show.
I could have stood anywhere, but I chose to stand in the back to have panoramic view of the scene as members of Turkuaz scurried around putting the final touches on their instruments. One after another they came out - 1, 2, 3, 7 and finally the count was up to 11. They stood on a crowded stage where there was barely enough room for them, but as I would soon come to find out, they couldn't care less.
There they were staring straight ahead, waiting for the OK from the sound tech. Of course I was prematurely judging them by their outfits and was already convinced I would hate whatever they played. Then, in a collective 1, 2, 3, I was hit with a deep groove bass line, which are the opening chords to "Mountain." Song after song, I was struck with straight funk, and by funk I mean James Brown funk.
Two angels sang the backup vocals, which were not overpowering, although there was no mistaking their presence. There was a three-piece brass section made up of two saxophones and one trumpet, and was accompanied by an original Hammond organ that made me think I was in 1973. It was only when I looked around and saw the hipster kids in trendy clothes that I realized that I was in 2010.
After a couple of songs I noticed more people slowly filtering in, and halfway through the set I had to strategically move around to see the stage. And like everyone else in attendance, I was drawn to the set, not only for the music (which I would have to say P Funk and Sly & The Family Stone would approve of), but because of the energy. Turkuaz has that "thing" about them when they're on stage; they love performing and it shows because they're genuinely having a good time. A couple of times I caught myself just randomly smiling, either after a huge build up or some crazy funk guitar solo, and I started to think that this is what music is for. It's here for us to enjoy ourselves and dance our asses off. Turkuaz obviously believes in both of those philosophies and it spread contagiously throughout the entire crowd.
Their music is available on iTunes, but nothing compares to the experience of seeing these guys live. This music was made to be played in front of people and I highly recommend checking them out if they're playing anywhere near you. They play every month at Brooklyn's Cluster Funk and are currently recording under Galaxy Smith Records.
After the set from Turkuaz, I was looking forward to the next performance by The London Souls. When I first found out that I would be covering The London Souls, I was pretty excited. I have some friends who've listened to their stuff and they've always had good things to say about them, but for whatever reason, I'd neglected to check them out for myself. After seeing them Tuesday night, one thing is for sure, I'll never forget the energy the band brought to the stage.
Before the show, I overheard a conversation of someone trying to explain the sound of The London Souls to a friend. He used The Black Keys as a reference, but after seeing them last night I would have to disagree. The Black Keys have a blues DNA embedded in their sound as opposed to The London Souls, who have more of a classic rock vibe.
After the first song was completed, I knew exactly what type of band this was, and I was excited to see the rest of their performance. Their music is loud, fast, and hard. I would imagine that they're very big fans of bands like CREAM and Led Zeppelin, judging by the fact that their music is intertwined with traditional rock sounds of the 70s.
The three-piece band works well off each other, with all of them taking turns singing at one point of the show. One thing is definitely for sure, and that's that these guys love to play rock music. I'm sure Tash, the lead singer and lead guitar player, must often be compared to Jimi Hendrix, but I don't think that's exactly his style (although he does look like him. A lot).
The crowd was obviously enthusiastic about their music, and it's no wonder why. Each song had at least one huge guitar solo with an epic build up that finally exploded, just like the small membranes in our eardrums.
The London Souls have a residency at The Mercury Lounge until the middle of February, and I highly recommend seeing these guys live, because listening to a recording just doesn't do them justice.
Turkuaz Set List
1. Mountain
2. 1925
3. Tool Belt
4. Back To Normal
5. Slippery People
6. Coast To Coast
7. Gremlins
8. Getting Closer
9. 20 Dollar Bill
10. The Rule
11. Milady
Upcoming Shows (Turkuaz)
January 29 - CLUSTERFUNK @ Cameo Gallery; Brooklyn, NY
February 6 - The Studio @ Webster Hall; New York, NY
February 11 - Jezebel Music Showcase Brooklyn, New York, NY
February 26 - CLUSTERFUNK @ Cameo Gallery; Brooklyn, NY
March 20 - CLUSTERFUNK @ Cameo Gallery; Brooklyn, NY
Upcoming Shows (The London Souls)
February 2 - Mercury Lounge; New York, NY
February 9 - Mercury Lounge; New York, NY
