Boyfriend + Prom Date and Sex Party
Thursday, Feb. 20; 9 p.m.
Allways Lounge, 2240 St. Claude Ave.
TheAllwaysLounge.net; $10
Local divas and dudes unite for this romp through hip-hop, pop, and dance music. Subversive, sexual, and silly, rap duo Sex Party will set the mood for the evening with their funky synth-driven beats. Never straying too far from their title, the male (usually shirtless) duo keeps things on topic while stirring up a ruckus. Known for their controversial music videos, their live show is a high-energy thesis on the status of hip-hop. Consent to celebrate or stand by to ponder; all are welcome in the Sex Party. Skillfully straddling the Baton Rouge and New Orleans scenes, Prom Date is a joyful tribute to all things harmonious, all things pop. The six-piece band has been rousing up dance parties all across the swampland, and has recently made waves in the 504. One part Passion Pit, two parts fun, the band sounds like Fleetwood Mac through an electric filter… Fleetwood Macbook if you will. They'll be premiering a remix on the night of the show, their own rendering of local rapper Boyfriend's stripper-confessional jam "BTDUBS." Boyfriend, a self-confessed "Tolkien White Girl," presents a "rap cabaret" that is best experienced live. Raunchy, yet nerdy, the show is a sensory journey both visual and cerebral. She just wrapped up 2013 with a year of monthly video releases and is now picking up steam for a full-length album release (produced by none other than Sex Party). In true collaborative spirit, Boyfriend will also be performing a guest verse on Prom Date's popular and appropriately titled single "Good Morning Boyfriend." Check out Where Y'at's October 2013 "Ones to Watch" interview with Boyfriend here.
Snarky Puppy
Friday, Feb. 21; 10 p.m.
Howlin' Wolf, 907 S. Peters St.
Howlin-wolf.com; $15
Come join "The Fam" at Howlin' Wolf for Brooklyn's finest in fusion. Made up of some 40 members (many graduates of the University of North Texas), Snarky Puppy is an instrumental group comprised of guitars, pianos, keyboards, woodwinds, bass, percussion, and strings. The co-op is headed up by Micheal League and the core members include Robert Searight, Nate Werth, Justin Stanton, Bob Lanzetti, Mike Maher, and Chris Bullock. Snarky Puppy's masterful technical skills and simple hard hitting harmonies are worthy of praise all on their own, but with their hands in a little bit of everything, these guys are unstoppable. Aside from traditional touring, the band is a production team and session band for individual artists regularly performing with names like Erykah Badu, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, and Marcus Miller. They have worked with groups like ROAM (Roots of American Music), as well as conducting clinics in middle schools, high schools and colleges worldwide. Check out these trail blazers for yourself as they make a name for themselves in dynamic sounds and notable outreach.
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
Saturday Feb. 22; 9 p.m.
House of Blues, 225 Decatur Street
HouseofBlues.com; $26.50
The epitome of soul filled with a raunchy sass and uncanny spunk, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are thriving with their retro funk/soul sound. They capture the spirit of the genre in all its elements, directly transporting the tone of the 60's and 70's, into their music. Jones is a dynamic stage performer, shimmying, shaking, and entertaining the crowd with her gracious charm as she wails with a voice that sends a quiver down your spine. However, her backing band is hardly overshadowed as the professionalism of their tight sound and rehearsed stage presence truly brings the show into full swing. Following the release of 100 Days, 100 nights in 2006, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings then released the applauded album I Learned the Hard Way in 2010, quickly gaining much appreciation across the world. Only two years after, the dynamic eleven-piece band decided to churn up some more material in preparation for their fifth studio album, Give the People What They Want. Returning with fresh singles like the dark, upbeat and stomping tune "Retreat!" as well as the happy-go-lucky tune "We Get Along." The ten track album truly gives the people what they want and so will Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings as they romp across the stage in soulful goodness unmatched in the modern era.
Robert Randolph & the Family Band
Saturday, Feb. 22; 10 p.m.
Tipitinas, 501 Napoleon Avenue
Tipitinas.com; $27.50
Robert Randolph & the Family Band are known for being uplifting, wild, and energetic as they consistently exercise their right to explore the boundaries of rock, gospel, funk, blues, and other genres of music. Randolph, the virtuoso lap steel slide guitarist who wails his band through catchy, heart-pounding riffs, but also through his powerful lead vocals, has come to redefine the use of his instrument in so many ways. The band, fresh off the release of their first full length studio album in three years entitled Lickety Split, is playing better than ever, connected to the music they create more than ever before. Having toured constantly for years, Randolph's latest album reflected this hard working mentality and renewed musical faith as the band took time off to get in touch with themselves in order to break out their latest masterful accomplishment. Starting off with their debut album, Music from the Wetlands in 2002, Robert Randolph & the Family Band soon took the hearts of people around the world as their stomping, soulful blend of musical elements swarmed audiences with the love and energy the band brings to every live performance. Since, they have released five more full-length albums, all with a bit of a different spirit as the true nature of the band is captured in that specific time and moment, maturing with every performance and gaining fans with every step they take.
