It was already packed tight when I arrived at Southpaw in the heart of Park Slope, standard for an Antibalas show in their home borough. The venue proved to be a good fit for the afro-beat collective, despite the small stage—wedging 12 band members, including keys, full percussion and six horns, into that cramped area was an impressive feat.
Following a beat-heavy, Latin-flavored opening set from Chico Mann, Antibalas launched a typically high-energy, politically charged show. Driven by the imposing force of “Elephant” and a heartfelt rendition of Bob Marley’s “Rat Race,” the band maintained a steady, sweaty groove throughout, punctuating the nearly nonstop set with assorted political commentary. Much of it leaned heavily on the band’s traditional anti-Bush, anti-Republican rhetoric, but trumpet player—and Borat look-alike—Jordan McLean made a particular salient point about the importance of maintaining political vigilance, even as crowd-favorite Obama begins his presidency.
Musically, they was as progressive as ever, taking the Fela Kuti model into the present with subtle accents of jazz, rock, reggae, and hip-hop. A few of the solos left something to be desired, and the percussion wasn’t as crisp as I remember, but Antibalas has never been about solo work—they’re a tight-knit group in which each voice is an important piece of the larger puzzle.
In the past, tenor sax player Stuart Bogie acted as de facto band leader. This time out, they seemed even more cognizant of the benefits of rotating the so-called leader duties, as different members took turns initiating changes and introducing new songs. Probably most effective was vocalist Amayo, whose usual invigorating performance was a solid representation of the band as a whole.
