Like a crispy head of romaine, Lettuce came to Brooklyn last month and brought a refreshing dose of sonic nutrients to nourish the soul. The six funkateers, who hail from Boston, MA, brought a signature blend of funk, soul, and R&B combined with hints of hip-hop, rock, psychedelia, jam, and jazz, creating a high octane performance guaranteed to put anyone in a good mood. Celebrating the 15th year anniversary of Brooklyn Bowl, a sold out crowd of funk fanatics gathered to worship at the altar of breakbeat rhythms and infectious grooves. Nigel Hall started off the night spinning old school hip-hop classics, and the anticipation grew like a sprouting seed.

If there’s one phrase we would use to describe a Lettuce show it would be “full funk immersion in the company of exceptional talent.” Lettuce’s ingredients are superior yet simple – Adam Deitch (drums, percussion, arrangement), Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff (guitar), Erick “Jesus” Coomes (bass), Ryan Zoidis (alto, baritone, tenor sax, Korg X-911), Eric “Benny” Bloom (trumpet, horns), and Nigel Hall (vocals, Hammond B-3, Rhodes, clavinet, keyboards). The first set started with an homage to the hip-hop classic, Deep Cover by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog, as Jesus laid down the bassline to this track before grooving into their own vintage classic, “Bowler,” a perfectly named starter for their two night run at BK Bowl.

Their next track, The Lock, was a funky soiree from their latest album Unify. The solo riffs from this tune as well as from “Insta-Classic” seemed to have a mind of their own as the music weaved into what sounded like conversation between the different instrumentalists. Up next, we got a taste of the bands dynamic versatility as they covered “Let’s Straighten it Out” by Lattimore, which was accompanied by passionate and pleasurable vocals from Nigel and smooth licks from Shmeeand and Jesus. Set one ended with a New Orleans rocking go-go jazz type number, “The Flu” – a reminder that Halloween is just around the corner that featured spooky jazz melodies and broken rock you might find at a haunted house.

As set two began, we were eager to hear something more familiar and it was almost as if Lettuce could read our minds. The sextet began with a strong melody build into a funk explosion. Cue Benny and Ryan on the horns, and we were in an all out “Force” jam. The beats kept rolling as another cover sparked the crowd into dance lift off with “Whos Gonna Take the Weight” by Kool and the Gang. At this point we couldn’t tell where our feet began and hands ended as the crowd morphed into one big funky dinosaur just boogieing down before getting hit by a meteor. Their set ended with the most energetic song of the night, “Squadlive,” which included clap along beats, harmonic horns, and absolutely no control from the crowd. The funk was clearly harvested.

Their encore was a final fiesta as they played an original by Nigel Hall, “Sounds Like a Party,” which featured hilarious lyrics and a massive trumpet solo from Benny that kept us all on our toes. Unfortunately, that was the end of the party for us, but check out Lettuce on their 2024 tour before it ends!

Connect with Lettuce on Instagram, Spotify, and their website.

When aliens drift through far reaches of the universe, the ethereal sound of electro synth funk is what we can only imagine helps them to pass the time during intergalactic space travel. That theory may have been proven a few days ago, when Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) played at Brooklyn Steel, emanating frequencies which evoked a sense of extraterrestrial presence. The five-piece instrumentalists from Atlanta, Georgia, have been elevating consciousness since 1997, giving their own cosmic view of the world through many different soundscapes. Promoting their new album Chromalight on their 2024 US Tour, STS9 claims “The multi-sensory production set out to explore the connection between sound and light, the colors we associate with musical notes and scales, and how we can tap into the power of the harmony between them to create an intentional and immersive live spectacle,” when asked about the LP in a press release.

The lights went out and a brilliant blue glow illuminated the stage. In true maestro fashion, STS9 entered without speaking and dove straight into the music, letting the notes weave their story. The set began with a furiously played violin sample beginning a commanding “This, Us,” with Alana Rocklin (bass guitarist) laying a strong bassline and David Phipps (keyboards, synthesizers) using what sounded like a horn or saxophone filter for his keyboard. This tune was followed by a strong siege into the funky “Moon Socket,” with plenty of arpeggio play from both guitarist Hunter Brown and Phipps, and a short synth soliloquy from Phipps. The lights were nothing less than interdimensional, making us feel like this was a true close encounter of the third kind. Their set took a turn as they played more astral jams with a tune from their new album, Human Dream, and a groovement favorite, “World Go Round.” The most notable track of the first set (and maybe the night) was the fan favorite and set ending, “Modular.” This jam was an absolute journey – needless to say, set one had us out of breath and begging for more.

Set two kicked off with the trippy and contemplative “Sky High,” which included a DnB rhythm from Zach Velmer (drums), alien balloons from the crowd, and continued with non-stop play into “Balancing,” “It’s Alright,” and “Breath in.” We got a good feel of tribal funk from the saucy bongo fills Jeffree Lerner brought to “It’s Alright” and after the always uplifting “Breath In,” the Sectornaughts were ready to crank it up a notch. You always know the party’s about to begin when you hear spaceship sirens from STS9, and tonight was no different as the band jumped into a Peaceblaster classic, “Shock Doctrine,” which was followed by a massive DnB remix to Ramone & Emiglio and had the crowd absolutely rabid for the jazzy, DnB, funk fest that would ensue. The set ended with the unfinished Modular jam from the first set which was preceded by Click Lang Echo, another STS9 vintage track with heart warming lyrics:

“Day in and day out, in the lights and the sound, in the world in this place, it’s just me and you.”

In dramatic fashion, STS9 came back on stage where Velmer spoke about how happy and thankful the band was to be able to play for a packed Brooklyn Steel crowd. The encore included a bit of the old and new as they began with Haze from Chromalight and dove right into Peoples from Artifact, a now almost 20 year old album, to end the show. If you’re one to partake in an interstellar spiritual awakening, definitely check out STS9 at a venue near you!

Connect with STS9 on Instagram, Spotify, TikTok and their website.

Terminal 5’s large chamber hall was packed to the brim with groovers on September 17th, the crowd bristling with anticipation for headliner, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and poet, PJ Harvey. An intergenerational throng of music lovers anticipated Harvey’s long-awaited return to the stage, promoting her acclaimed LP I Inside the Old Year Dying, a brooding album that explores the mythology of the mundane and of life in Dorset, the quiet countryside town in England where Harvey was raised. The record is a sonic departure from Harvey’s staple “yowling,” most notably utilized in hits such as “Dress” and “Man-Size,” but her incisive and evocative lyricism remain timelessly intact. Harvey’s return to the stage (a nearly sold-out show at that) is both triumphant and an uphill battle against expectations of a “greatest-hits” revival, which many longtime fans in the crowd were eager to receive. But just as Harvey in her career has experimented with form, from post-punk to political anthems, so too would she stretch the parameters of performance.

The set design was a wall of fabric with cracks running through, and when lit in certain angles, colors resembled the bark of a tree, molten lava running through ash, or a glacier lined with snow. Mid-century modern wooden furniture clustered at the lip of the stage, where Harvey would pen letters during the opening of songs, like “Lwonesome Tonight.” We were introduced to Harvey and her band by ominous bell tolls and echoing bird sounds, setting the scene for an evening in an eerie cabin in Dorset. Her band and longtime collaborators, John Parish, Jean-Marc Butty, Giovanni Ferrario, and James Johnston, stood out in their own right as multi-instrumentalists, providing backing vocals on each song, as well as a variety of percussive instruments. Donning a thick white cloak, Harvey journeyed through Old Year Dying both through song and through movement, often taking interludes as a moment to dance, run, laugh, and stretch, utilizing her body as an instrument to its fullest potential. Her signature vocal cadence and tender upper register shone particularly on “The Nether-edge” and “Prayer at the Gate.”

The second portion of the concert cycled through the hits that cemented PJ Harvey as one of the most formidable singer-songwriters of her time. The crowd was on their feet with political battle cries like “The Glorious Land” and “The Words That Maketh Murder,” and epic rock anthems like “Angelene.”

At this point in the show, Harvey began to loosen the mask and embrace the kinetic energy of her songs (and the crowd’s enthusiasm), breaking into guitar solos and crawling on the ground, accompanied by epic guitar solos from Parish. Harvey finished out the set with the darkly transfixing “To Bring You My Love,” eponymous to her acclaimed fourth album. Harvey marched along to the steady rhythm and bassline and cryptic keys, leading her and her bandmates behind the stage curtains as fans pleaded for more. Fortunately, to our delight, they returned for an encore of “C’mon Billy.”

As we left the venue, we couldn’t shake the spell that Harvey had cast through her rich, layered performance imbued with storytelling. Every dimension of the show, from the costumes to the stage design to the song selection, all worked together to build scenes of tension and tenderness, a window into the mind of a woman who has made an indelible mark on rock (and music at large) history.

Connect with PJ Harvey on Instagram, Spotify, TikTok and her website.

Born out of the jam band scene in Maryland in 2009, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong has had a steady rise since its inception, developing a cult following along the way. The band’s recent performance on the last day of August at Pier 17 was the ideal combination of high energy antics and thoughtful, pop-funk song writing. As the sun set behind them, framing the Statue of Liberty and the East River, the band kicked off their set. The fog machines and funky light show enveloped the stage, enhancing the psychedelic atmosphere.

By the time Pigeons Playing Ping Pong took the stage, the vibe at Pier 17 was electric. The venue's rooftop provided a panoramic backdrop that perfectly complemented the band's dynamic performance. Their setlist was a mix of old favorites and new jams, each played with the infectious energy that the band is known for. Highlights included fan favorites like "F.U." and "Julia," alongside a groove-laden "Ocean Flows," which kept the audience dancing well into the night. For a detailed look at their complete setlist from that night, check out their performance on Setlist.fm.

Lead singer Greg Ormat's signature facial expressions and the seamless interplay between the talented musicians underscored a performance that was as much about their dedicated fans and following as it was about the sound. The crowd, fully engaged and evidently not ready to wind down, was visibly disappointed when the 10pm curfew approached.

This concert not only highlighted Pigeons Playing Ping Pong's ability to command a stage but also reinforced their status as a must-see act within the jam band scene. Their unique blend of funky riffs and electrifying performances continues to draw in groovers and music lovers, making every show a memorable experience. We can't wait for their next stow!

Connect with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong on Instagram, Spotify, TikTok and their website.