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- Natalia Clavier
A wide range of acts played the Greek Theatre this past Friday, September 9th. The show included Thievery Corporation, with AM and Shawn Lee and Fitz and the Tantrums opening the night. The Greek was a perfect fit for these bands, especially since it’s in the middle of Griffith Park. While still in LA, it feels as though you’re miles away in a remote location. Although each band has their own distinct sound, they all seamlessly worked well on a single bill.
AM and Shawn Lee started the night strong, but unfortunately, to a very small audience. It was disappointing to see the size of the crowd in such a large venue, but this did not seem to affect the band. At one point in the set, they tried to get the audience engaged in a sing-a-long, however it was still too early in the evening. Musically, AM and Shawn Lee sounded great. AM’s acoustic, low key sound mixed well with Shawn Lee’s psychedelic electronic sound. A musical highlight in their set was when they played their song “Dark into Light”. Although this collaboration is a newer project, they seemed like they had been performing together for years. They played a great show, but their timing in the night was unfortunate.
By the time Fitz and the Tantrums took the stage, the majority of the audience for the evening had arrived. Although Fitz and the Tantrums are from LA and have a local audience, they’ve been gaining buzz outside of the city for their outstanding shows. The band has a retro pop sound that is definitely infectious. Even after just one listen, their songs stick with you. They surpassed expectations and played a high-energy set with absolutely no lows. Playing such a large venue can be a daunting task, but the band walked on stage, ready to get the entire crowd moving. They opened with “Don’t Gotta Work It Out,” gradually getting each audience member to dance or at least stand up. The band was constantly interacting with the crowd, especially singers Michael Fitzpatrick and Noelle Scaggs. The singers did a great job of motivating the crowd. At one point, Noelle Scaggs was telling the audience, “Make some noise for your damn selves” to which the audience made noise, but not as much as they had for the band.
Throughout the night, the band was highly perceptive of the audience, watching their every move. Michael Fitzpatrick at one point said, “Something smells 4:20 good”. In between songs, he also saw some seated audience members and actually called them out (not by name, but by what they were wearing). Fitz and the Tantrums ended their set with “MoneyGrabber,” with Noelle Scaggs telling the audience, “Come on everybody, this is your last chance to party with us.” They ended the night strong, with everyone dancing and wanting more from them.
Thievery Corporation put on an amazing show each time they visit LA. They perform songs about serious issues, yet manage to emit a positive energy when they play. It’s so much fun to see them live, especially being able to experience their music with so many other fans. Even their stage setup was fit for a special evening, with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and fancy furniture placed across the stage.
Thievery Corporation’s set included many artists such as Loulou Ghelichkhani, Ras Puma, Mr. Lif, Shana Halligan, Natalia Clavier, Roots and Zeebo, Sleepy Wonder, and Harold Brown (of War). Thievery Corporation constantly rotates musicians throughout the night, changing up genres and the overall mood. Many of the songs from the night were from their newest album Culture of Fear. “Take My Soul” had a dreamy feel, with Loulou Ghelichkhani ‘s beautiful vocals sweeping you away, while “Culture of Fear” with Mr. Lif, was full of energy and passion. Each song in the set was placed flawlessly; there was never a dull moment in the night.
The audience was, of course, crazy about the show. When the band first stepped out on stage, the entire audience rose from their seats. Everyone was dancing, from people who were directly in front of the stage to people who could barely even see the stage. Sitting was not tolerated, everyone in the theatre was dancing from beginning to end. There was something for everyone in Thievery Corporation’s performance, with their dynamic range in sounds.
This show was also interesting, considering the anniversary of September 11th was the same weekend as the show. Considering the lyrical content on Culture of Fear, it seemed like good way to reflect and start a conversation regarding the current state of this country.
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