Spoonfed Tribe

We weren’t really up for a late night this last Friday after an early evening Mexican meal featuring The Deltones at Madison (Al) Bandito Burrito – ’nuff said – we went into town (Huntsville) ‘cos I had a vague recollection I’d noticed an interesting gig at Crossroads, and I’m glad I hung onto that thought.

Both bands interesting – both different – like, different from much else I’ve seen or heard in a while. The opening band, were a two-guitar four-piece, playing very jazzy million-notes-a-minute arpeggio-picking style, trading licks and complex mixed pace structures, including reggae and calypso grooves – but endlessly changing – too complex to be entertaining without concentrating hard – but accomplished and different. Can’t for the life of me remember their name (Why do bands and venues not leave up recent events ? Damn MySpace – Post Note – sho’nuff – turns out they were local Huntsville band “Sandia”  … yeah, “fusion” sounds about right.)

Main act were Spoonfed Tribe. Wow. Different again, from Texas, and what a mixture. Hawkwind meets Beefheart meets Stomp meets Northern-Soul and eventually morphs into some seriously heavy guitar rock. 5 piece with at least 2 on percussion at all times. Dreadlocked flautist on vocals and PA loop effects, reminding me of Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall, stonking bassist with a huge range of effects, which allowed the masked guitarist to play around with vocals, cow-bells and loops before remembering his guitar. Varied, yes, but never missed a beat, and never lost your attention. A pity so few were there to experience them. Ones to watch.

Saw them again:

  • Last Concert Cafe, Houston.
  • Trees, Deep Ellum, Dallas.
  • The Continental, Houston, where I seem to recall they were playing pool before the gig.

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