So, i have a tough time with this artist. Typically, i don’t come up with a true opinion of a band until i hear them live, because a lot of times i fall in love with bands after i see them perform. This one goes against that rule.
The first time i heard Michael Franti and Spearhead i was stoked on it. Positive vibes and positive lyrics. It was a group that was really tying to say something, which they still are (i think? have they toured recently?). I went and saw them a few times, and i must admit, i have never seen so much crowd control. If franti said jump, the crowd jumped. If he said get low, everyone was low…you get the point, right?
As much as i love people spreading a message through music, it should stick to just that…keep it in the music! I don’t like going to shows where the artist speaks half the time (except leo kottke, he can talk all he wants cause he’s a legend and he’s hilarious). I also really don’t enjoy artists taking their time on stage to preach. Eveyone has different views on life, politics, whatever. The whole reason we are at the show is because above everything else, we all enjoy the music that we came to see.
And this is just me ranting, but how many times do you really need to say “how you feelin!?!” By the 10th time i was actually feeling pretty bad, and by the 20th time i think i was walking out of the show. It just started getting too cheezy for me.
Obviously, im sure that a lot of peeps have different views on this as a lot of artists use their shows as a platform to speak and spread their word, i just don’t like being preached to at a show. My 2 cents…
C
