Tao of Pauly

Galactic in NYC!

I caught Galactic last night at Roseland Ballroom. I dunno how many times I have seen Galactic, but I estimate my attendance was somewhere in the mid-50s... I've seen them more than the Grateful Dead (46 shows), but not as much as Widespread Panic (56 shows). Since my first Galactic show in 1998 in Seattle, there was only one other band I have seen more than Galactic in the last six years... Phish, of course.

Galactic was out on tour to support their new CD Ruckus, their fourth studio album (and it's short, just 44 minutes) produced by the infamous Dan “the automater” Nakamura. Most of the show was devoted to the tracks on Ruckus, and they did an excellent job transforming the well mixed songs into a live show.

The first set was smoking, with only a few lulls. I notcied that Jeff Raines had busted out an acoustic guitar on a lot of the new songs. I do not have a complete setlist, but they played most of Ruckus: Doomed, Truth Is Out, Never Called You Crazy, Bongo Joe, Moil, Gypsy Fade, Mercamon, The Beast, Bittersweet, Uptown Odyssey, Paint, Kid Kenner, and All Behind You Now.

The Houseman (was pimping in a sleek gold suit) broke out a heavy funk-riddled Villified in the first set. The female vocalist, Ms. Teedy Boutte, looked snazzy in a pink top and purple velvet pants with a fur ball scarf/boa around her neck. She has been on the entire Ruckus tour, since she appeared on background vocals for a bunch of the songs. A New Orleans legend, she sung solo on a delicious Higher Ground (Stevie Wonder cover). Galactic closed the first set with one of my favorite tunes: Shibuya, and of course Stanton Moore was jumping up and down on his drum kit during the ending to that song. For the encore, Ms. Boutte came back out and they sang a sizzling cover of Led Zepplin's A Whole Lotta Love (minus the Houseman).

Galactic is known to offer up a multi-media format to its concerts. Last year, there were these painters who painted on a huge canvas behind the stage while the concert was ongoing. I was totally into that because I used to paint to music all the time... and especially to Galactic. This year, the painting was replaced by a huge movie screen and various images, short films, and cartoons were being played during the concert, featuring visual design artistry created by Andrew Wade Smith. The show opened up with Evil Kenieval doing some dangerous jumps and stunts.

Now, of course I forgot to talk about Stanton Moore the drummer for Galactic and the cosmic glue that keeps the band together. Just like how I always thought the Grateful Dead was "Jerry and 5 guys" and how Phish was "Trey and 3 guys"... Galactic is all Stanton Moore and 5 other guys. I hate to say that, and no disrespect to the other band members, but Stanton Moore is Galactic. I have said this once before, and I'll say it again. Stanton Moore is not from this planet. His birth certificate says "Metarie, Louisiana", but we all know better. Stanton is an alien. And I love watching him play. He is my favorite drummer and I will say this: he is the best drummer alive today. Watching him every night must have been what it was like to watch Willie Mays play baseball everyday.

Talib Kweli opened up for Galactic. I had not seen the hip-hopper from Brooklyn in concert before and he had a lot of energy. For the most part, the show was not sold out and that might have been the thinnest crowd I had seen at a Galactic show in New York City. Maybe it's the economy, or maybe some hardcore fans did not like Ruckus and did not want to pay to see a show devoted to playing nearly the entire new CD. I'm not a huge fan of the Roseland Ballroom. In some places the sound is shotty and the security are first-rate assholes. Some of the best Galactic shows I saw in NYC were either at Bowery Ballroom or at Irving Plaza, much smaller venues with better sound. Ironically, security was not a problem for me at the show. I was able to break the law without any hassles.

Overall, it was one of the better Galactic shows I had seen in some time. The addition of Ms. Boutte was a nice element and I hope they keep her for good.

Galactic started a nice run of live music for me... next up are two Dark Star Orchestra shows at Irving Plaza next week, and of course Phish tour (4 shows) starts in 6 days! Followed up by two Phil Lesh and Phriends shows at the Beacon Theatre. I'm very pleased with my music schedule!