Thursday night brought me back to the House of Blues in Boston for a night with a couple of bands that know exactly how to get a crowd moving. Tropidelic and Little Stranger hit the stage as part of Little Stranger’s Broken Hearted Boys Club Tour, and with a mix of hip-hop, reggae, rock, funk and plenty of personality between them, it was pretty much guaranteed to be a good time.
Photos and review provided by Max Cross.
TROPIDELIC
I got there too late to catch the opening sets from rappers Damn Skippy and Jarv, so unfortunately I can’t give them a proper review. By the time I made it inside, Tropidelic was getting things going, and that was a welcome sight. I’ve seen these guys quite a few times over the years, most recently on the last 311 Cruise, and it’s been interesting watching the lineup evolve. There have been plenty of changes around the edges, but the two guys who have been at the heart of the band since the beginning are still holding down the fort.
They kicked things off with “Up in Smoke,” followed by “Follow Your Nature” and “Sunny Days,” immediately establishing the party atmosphere. “Movie Star,” featuring Jarv, and “Holiday,” featuring Little Stranger, also gave the set a nice connection to the other performers on the bill. “Neighborhood,” “Out There” and “Falling Down” kept the momentum rolling before a bass/drum solo gave the rhythm section a chance to take the spotlight.
One of the more unexpected moments was their take on Gorillaz’ “Feel Good Inc.,” which fit surprisingly well into Tropidelic’s genre-blurring approach. “Cactus,” “Pressure,” featuring Nahte and Damn Skippy, and “Same Hat” rounded out the 13-song set. It was a relatively short set, but they packed plenty into it.
LITTLE STRANGER
Then it was time for Little Stranger, and this is a band I’ve become pretty fond of over the past few years. There is something about these guys that just works. They’re funny, they’re loose, they’re talented, and they seem to be having as much fun up there as the people watching them. If the Beastie Boys had been a little sillier, a little more laid-back and perhaps spent a little more time hanging out at the beach, you might end up with something resembling Little Stranger.
They opened with “Simply Business,” followed by “Hollywood Not,” “Way of the Ghost” and “Iggy Radio.” From there, “Busted Brain,” “Nightmare” and “Sunburn” kept things moving before “Coffee & a Joint” brought one of those songs that feels almost tailor-made for a Little Stranger crowd. “I’m Fine.,” “Mexico,” “Your Favorite Guy” and “Brain Stew” were also part of the Boston set.
One of the things I’ve really liked about Little Stranger’s evolution is the addition of the horn section. It could have easily been one of those additions that feels unnecessary, but it fits their sound extremely well. The horns add another dimension to the band’s combination of hip-hop, reggae, funk and rock, and they give the live show an extra bit of punch without taking away from what makes Little Stranger unique.
RECAP
By the end of the night, the House of Blues had pretty much become one giant party. Tropidelic had gotten the crowd warmed up, and Little Stranger came in and kept the energy rolling right through the finish.
That’s really what I enjoy about nights like this. There isn’t a lot of pretense to it. Tropidelic has been doing their thing for years, continuing to evolve while keeping the core of what makes the band work intact. Little Stranger has carved out their own wonderfully weird corner of the musical world, and the addition of the horns has only made their live show that much more fun.
Walking out of the House of Blues, I was already thinking about when I’d get to see Little Stranger again. That’s usually a pretty good indication that a band did something right.