The Roots may just be one of the best live acts around. The band certainly brought an abundance of energy to its March 9th performance at the Iowa Memorial Union. But that’s not the only selling point for the Philadelphia hip-hop-act-turned-late-night-house-band.
The band members are some of the most talented musicians in the genre, from Twitter phenomenon and rhythm master Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson to guitarist “Captain” Kirk Douglas, who plays with effortless proficiency and punk rock-levels of energy. Fronting the band is Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, whose lyrical skill may just be unmatched in hip hop.
Although the band played nearly every song at a significantly increased tempo, each musician was more than capable of keeping up. The Roots also benefit from having a deep catalogue of top notch material to draw from, a selection of tracks collected from more than 20 years of music. The band opened with three tracks all from different albums, though much of the concert focused on the group’s latest release, 2010’s How I Got Over.
The band’s latest album may be its best since 2002’s Phrenology, and songs like the album’s title track and “The Fire” were brilliantly executed onstage. The band has been touring with sousaphonist Damon "Tuba Gooding Jr." Bryson, and it’s remarkable to see a band, hip hop or otherwise, effectively use both a sousaphone and a bass guitar (played by Owen Biddle) as a rhythm section.
But that’s what makes The Roots so great. Nothing about the band feels traditional or ordinary, and each member always seems to be looking for ways to innovate a genre that can sometimes feel like it’s full of “me too” artists. If anyone puts on a better live show than these guys, I haven’t seen it.
— Brian Dau
Comments