The weather outside was frightful, leaving eager attendees scrambling on the treacherous roads, but the payoff was well worth the risk. The true storm was brewing inside in the form of unique and stellar musings from Lotus and The Werks at the recently opened The Space at Westbury.
Strangers to the jam scene are quickly becoming familiar with the powerhouse quartet from Ohio known as The Werks. Rob Chafin (drums), Chris Houser (guitar), Norm Dimitrouleas (keys) and Dino Dimitouleas (bass) have been a proven commodity at an endless list of quality festivals including Summer Camp, All Good and Camp Bisco. Dan Ward filled in for Norm for this part of the tour. The band, which got its name after they first met and ordered “The Works” at a restaurant, have carved out their own distinct niche of psychedelic, guitar-driven, jamtronica music.
Amidst a four show run opening for Lotus (they share the same management company), the Werks successfully demonstrated why they are a quickly-ascending outfit. Adept at improvisation turns and unexpected segues, the boys proved their exemplary musicianship. Hula-hoopers and a bevy of young fans were buoyed from the contagious opening notes of “Galactic Passport” from their last record. Their fourth and most recent release, The Werks, was dropped almost two years ago, and can only hope that new music with be forthcoming shortly. Houser’s seamless exploratory noodling, with Chafin’s bombastic hard-hitting on the skins as it gains momentum, will entice any fan and satiate the appetite from the toughest critic. Houser may share the aesthetics of the gentile Grizzly Adams, but he annihilates his axe like a hungry hunter pouncing on prey. Amidst a myriad of solid selections, the highlight of the set was the closer, “2001” (Also Sprach Zarathustra by Strauss) which provided incendiary fuel through its tight execution.
The band, which allows live taping at its shows, consists of hard working professionals but also the type of laid-back jovial cats that one would want to have a beer with. Recently engaged Houser stated, “Every night we try to do something new out of the rotation of songs we have for an experience for us as much as our fans. We like to have fun.” The band starts a new tour in their home area in Ohio on January 30th, with 30 dates to follow before concluding in Atlanta in May. They will open for the Biscuits in Philly on February 22nd, play with Lotus again at the Aura Festival on Valentine’s Day and are again presenting their own Werk Out Festival in August. .
Werks Set List: Music>Galactic Passport, Better Half, OG, You’re Not Alone, 2001.OG, You’re Not Alone, 2001
Unlike their genre contemporaries, who they are consistently lumped in with, Lotus brings a more diverse and varied sound as evidenced in the new repertoire of music released on 2013’s Build. A live touring juggernaut, with over 100 shows a year, they are currently scheduled to be at a venue near you, complete with a stellar light show experience. With a beat and melody that is unpredictable and a distinct, Lotus is jamtronica at its finest, a musical force known to pummel your senses and leave one gasping from air from the relentless euphoric grooves. With an unpredictable pace and style, they share a unique sound with a slow build-up, that ultimately leads to a monumental crescendo that allows participants to bask in its afterglow. Rather than worry where the band is going, crowd members trust the band to lead the on a voyage to discover new heights and feeling.
Luke Miller (keys/guitar), Jesse Miller (bass), Mike Greenfield (drums), Chuck Morris (percussion) and Mike Rempel (guitar) have been satisfying audiences since their inception at Goshen College in Indiana in 1999. With a deep-rooted foundation in the jam scene, Jesse Miller added, “people forget that our original sound is founded within the jam band area, so we are consistently experimenting and tackling new sounds and material in an effort to grow.” With an arsenal of song selections due to a hefty 11 album catalog, the band performs nearly 100 shows per calendar year. Encouraging live recording of their shows, the band has toured Japan four times and reached the pinnacle of live success by selling out the revered Red Rocks Amphitheatre in their adopted home state of Colorado. With sleek synth grooves and a multi-layered depth of sound, the unique musings are an experience all their own and with no real band to adeptly compare them too.
When asked what advice he would give to aspiring musicians, Rempel stated that there was no “rhyme or reason” to success but the humble guitarist stated that it was important to “give back.” He gave a lot to the audience on this night. Highlights included the second set opener, “Massif.” A tune from the recently released Build album, Greenfield’s drums lead the incendiary and potent song as it unfolds to deliver an unabashed full frontal jam assault. “128” was an exemplary second set closer as it demonstrated a band in full swing. The players know each other tendencies so well that they effortlessly play off each other in a successful quest to push new boundaries as the song develops into a noodly and bass-driven frenzy. Lotus is one of the top players in the jamtronica scene and those in attendance saw a clinic as to why.
Lotus Set List: Kodiak, Expired Slang, The Surf, Travel -> Mikesnack, Kesey Seed, Suitcases & Sandwiches Set II: Massif, Machine Gun -> Age of Inexperience, Caywood, Cut Dick (Mr.Oizo), Did Fatt -> 128 Encore: 72 Hours Awake, Scrapple
photos by Justin Ciccone
