{"id":25817,"date":"2016-04-17T11:14:42","date_gmt":"2016-04-17T19:14:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/?p=25817"},"modified":"2016-04-17T11:17:23","modified_gmt":"2016-04-17T19:17:23","slug":"review-unknown-mortal-orchestra-at-soho-in-santa-barbara","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/2016-04\/review-unknown-mortal-orchestra-at-soho-in-santa-barbara\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Unknown Mortal Orchestra at Soho in Santa Barbara"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Thursday night we doubled-up by first catching Lord Huron’s<\/strong> near-capacity set at the Lobero Theater<\/strong>\u00a0(Ma always said “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything;” so….).<\/p>\n

We then ventured up to Soho<\/strong> to catch Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s<\/strong><\/a> sold-out funkified, psych-jazz rave-party, and all was better with the world. The Portland-by-way-of-New Zealand band\u00a0UMO<\/strong>\u00a0was on their way to Corpchella<\/strong> and has been playing to sold out audiences at every stop of their tour as word-of-mouth has caught up with them. Suffice it to say that their fans at Soho<\/strong> were completely tuned-in and turned-on to the band. \u00a0Most crowd members knew every word to every song, which is an acid test when gauging a band’s worth live. To pay the highest compliment:\u00a0UMO’s<\/strong> Soho<\/strong> show reminded us most of TV On The Radio’s<\/strong>\u00a0ascendant show there in September 2006<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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The burgeoning\u00a0UMO<\/strong> phenomenon is best comprehended live where their Stevie Wonder-pop-meets-Steely-Dan-jazz-at-Prince’s-funk<\/strong>\u00a0music and well-conceived lyrics<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0get audiences’ bodies and brains, respectively, moving. Gifted leader, guitarist and vocalist Ruban Nielson\u00a0<\/strong>has a winsome way on stage, deftly cajoling his instrument and beaming the songs across, while bassist Jake Portrait<\/strong> and drummer Riley Geare<\/strong> comprise one of the best live rhythm sections we’ve seen recently, with imaginative and proficient propulsion-interplay throughout. The band has also been significantly enhanced by the relatively-new keyboardist\/synths mastery of\u00a0Quincy McCrary<\/strong>, who added complex, rhythmic flourishes (particularly on So Good at Being in Trouble<\/strong><\/em>) to match the sounds on the band’s critically-acclaimed, ’60s-assaying\u00a0Multi-Love<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0album from 2015. \u00a0The band’s setlist covered their entire discography, featuring all the “hits” (The World Is Crowded<\/strong><\/em> was a highlight) and then some during their 90-minute set. Make sure you catch this great live band when they next come to your town (tour dates HERE<\/strong><\/a>).<\/p>\n

To get a better feel for the band, check out some band videos and live performances below. \u00a0We can’t wait to catch them again.<\/p>\n

Above photos: (“Front-Row”) Curt Crawshaw<\/strong><\/p>\n