Now, usually my Sunday evenings religiously consist of either a trip to the infamous Grapes’ jazz night on Roscoe Street or lying in bed nursing my hangover with a Chinese takeaway.
However, with The Grapes firmly shut for refurbishment, meaning no sweet latin-jazz in sight, and with a fairly tame weekend behind me it was indeed time to search for something else to do with my Sunday evening. The news that Youngblood Brass Band were in town was music to my ears… very lively music for a Sunday night to be specific.
Youngblood should need no introduction. The constantly touring brass band have surely set a precedent for themselves and all other so-called ‘brass bands’ to follow in their tracks. First coming to light over two decades ago at Oregon High School, the high-energy crew have since headlined countless sellout gigs across America and Europe with this small gig at The Magnet certainly classing as an intimate affair for them. With collaborations ranging across the board from Taleb Kweli to DJ Skooly, plus a hefty 6 studio albums and 1 live album in their back catalogue, there’s no denying that the Youngblood Brass Band have been round the block and know how to make an audience move.
As someone who has now lived in the city for a few years I was bemused upon hearing of the band’s scheduled appearance at The Magnet. The petite stage and small dance floor gave me immediate skepticism; how on earth were they going to fit a 10 piece brass band on such a tiny stage. There was absolutely no way the stage could accommodate the entire band without it looking and sounding like some sort of military tattoo. With no other option, the rhythm section were relocated to the dance floor and for the first time the band had their percussion team taking the front … well floor… for this performance.
Warming up was Liverpool’s infamous Galactic Funk Militia, led by Matt Mook’s funky basslines. If you’ve not heard of the group yet, you’re missing out. Liverpool home-grown funk outfit GFM have had their hand at supporting some of the biggest names coming through Liverpool over the last year, including the likes of George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, a treat in itself being George’s first trip to the city since 1971. Expect big things from this group over the next few years…
Soon enough The Magnet was buzzing. Despite my previous apprehension, the crowd was nothing short of perfect, with not a single bad soul in the room. Room to dance and heat levels, surprisingly for The Magnet, were firmly in the blue.
A new-found energy shot around the room as we saw the likes of Skogen and his band hit the stage and while some slight sound adjustments were needed, once it got going, by god they were good. Throwing out well known covers from Rhianna, Chaka Khan and others to get the crowd going, the audience happily let the music take control. I cannot even begin to describe the crowd reaction when Skogen started his MC voyage for the evening and when they dropped the holy grail of their repertoire, Brooklyn. It is truly amazing to see what a group all the way from Oregon, representing the New Orleans sound, can do to a crowd across the Atlantic on a Sunday night in Liverpool. Their performance was nothing short of mesmerising.
It’s not everyday you get to experience first-hand the passion, let alone the skills, of Joe Goltz on the trombone as he dove face first into every improvisation imaginable. Not to be outdone were intellectual lyricist David Skogen and Nat McIntosh on the sousaphone - who rocked things out whilst dressed as if he were ready for a night in on the sofa in his sweat pants, head band and slippers. I strongly urge you to look up their dates and get yourself down to their next gig.
After that Sunday evening, I honestly don’t think I can warrant spending another Sunday slobbing around eating takeaways. I must get out and I must see uncover some more Sunday night gems.
Youngblood brass band have now finished their stint of UK gigs but if their touring track record is anything to go by, they will be back on our little island very soon. In the meantime go and grab their first release in over five years, out now on Tru Thoughts, and support the cause!
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