Femi Kuti

I saw Femi Kuti back in 2000 and he knocked me out with his musicianship and energy. Twelve years later he's still got it. Keep in mind that he's no spring chicken anymore but that doesn't mean he's not as energetic as he used to be. The other thing that makes his shows so incredible is the diverse crowd. From the young black hipsters to the older white retirees all grooving together, the crowd is a testament to the power of Femi and his backing musicians in delivering a powerful entertainment experience.

This was an EXCELLENT show! The opening act, Uhuru Afrika was really high energy and the drummer was interactive with the crowd which was really fun. Femi and his band though*whew* PHENOMENAL! Their energy and sound really touched your soul and I'm pretty sure everyone there danced for the 2+ hours they performed. Femi of course showed his expertise on the sax, trumpet and keyboard which was great. The dancers were GORGEOUS and really tied the whole performance together and was a nice reminder of the style and feel of the late Fela. I will definitely see him again if he comes to Boston, or wherever I happen to be living in the future. It will be very hard for any performer to top this show, personally. If he's coming to your city, GO SEE HIM! You will not regret it!

In his usual style, Femi Kuti brought his big band to the Paradise in fine style. He has energy and enthusiasm. Plus his band is very tight and well rehearsed. Not to be missed are the 2 backup singers/dancers. It is hard to take your eyes off of them. He limited his preaching to a minimum and that is a plus. The percussionist is excellent and the horns were great.

This my second time hearing both of these fine artists. Femi was at the Zoo last summer, though the temperatures were less Fall-like that year. Regardless of the temps, both performers brought serious "heat" to there performances. The rhythms and vocal harmonies of the 13 piece Ade band stood out for me. For Femi, it was his tight arrangements and spot on, 5 piece horn section. For me...King Sunny is about melody and good vibes. Femi was as serious as a heart-attack and brought intensity and urgency. To quote the title of one of Femi's songs performed ... " Do your Best " Good double bill. Good concert. They did their best!

Awesome show, as always. The Zoo is a great venue to see shows.

The show was amazing! By the end of the night the entire audience was on their feet.

The concert was excellent. Nobody can outperform them. They give such a great show. The best live performance I have seen!!

King Sunny Ade was a true showman, and his 12 musicians on-target. Lots of drumming and dancing (see title), although Sunny was shy of guitar-work. Good audience interaction and very enjoyable overall. Femi and his band lost the contest between the two (including best-dressed). Kuti should have stayed far-away from the keybords, and his trumpet playing left much to be desired. He was good on the sax (although using effects alot) and vocals were not bad. Dancers left something to be desired in terms of choreography. Big horn section got to my head (as did the HORRIBLE NOISE from his keyboard) and we left before he finished. I had a pounding headache by now, and was disappointed by the legend's oldest son.

probably the worst mixed show i've ever attended. king sunny ade's set was fine, but femi kuti's set was far too loud where only the horns and drums were prominent in the mix. was tempted to let the sound man know that they werent playing the main stage at bonnaroo.

very good, no coat check though anymore musichall of williamsburg?? too bad when its a dancing concert!

You are doing yourself a great injustice if you do.

The show starts with a procession of 13 strong African musician men, dressed in colorful matching traditional outfits - 6 brass, 7 rhythm - followed by three African goddess dancers/singers bedecked with strands of pearls criss-crosedd across their tiny bandeau tops and boy-shorts...of course, let's not forget the low-slung belt of strategically placed fringe that swings hypnotically while the dancers shake their booties at the audience - a move they do indefatigably throughout the show. Then, like a king, Femi appears - tall, impassioned, ready to rock. It's a feast for the eyes and I am full and satisfied even though its only been 2 minutes and the music hasn't really even begun in full! The following 90 minutes of music (from his new album Africa for Africa) gives the audience everything all they could hope for - tight horns, Femi's showmanship, political message and something I didn't anticipate - his humility and humanity. It was a fantastic show!

a bit too long! and people began too leave (taking with them the party)

Amazing!! The music, the dancers, the whole night!

Femi was even better than the first time I saw him. The band was awesome and very tight. The horn section had one extra trumpet from the last time, and I loved their sound. He played a lot of stuff from his great new album, along with the classics from Shoki Shoki and other songs I know from his live DVD/CD. He had the crowd dancing from the start, and had us well trained to respond to his "secret code." The answer is "olololololo" so you know when you go see him.

I applaud the messages Femi Kuti & The Positive Force are putting out about peace and about "Africa for Africa"\u2014i.e., national (continental) self-determination. The show, however, featured songs that were difficult to distinguish. They all pretty much sounded the same. The volume was ear-splitting and made it difficult to enjoy. The dancers were fabulous. I would go just to see the dancers, if they turned the volume down and mixed up the musicality so it's less monotonous.

Great Full of heart and positive energy. Full of Africa and Fela spirit. Thank you master Femi !

Femi is always amazing. He carries on the legacy of his father in such an profound way. Femi embodies the struggle of the common man and the downtrodden - a strong voice of the voiceless. His energy and musicianship are over the top. He is an amazing band leader - composing the nights magic with sharp and swooping hand gestures. His lyrics cut to the core of the crowd, many times envoking tears. If you enjoy true musicians, meaningful lyrics, and the most danceable tunes ever - then seeing Femi and his band live is a must. Ah rah rah rah rah! Oh roh roh roh roh roh!

Great show! Excellent vibe -- lawn plus dancing down front

The concert was enjoyable with great rhythms and insightful lyrics.

Femi and the positive force had a lot of energy, the sound was great, he invites audience participation and has the crowd dancing, smiling and laughing at times--they attract a great crowd. The zoo venue is perfect is perfect for a summer show!

It turns out that Zoo concerts are not canceled due to rain. That's good to know. The rain did stop so the concert venue was good. The problem I had was that the sound system was not balanced. The vocals were too quiet, the brass was too loud and the over sound quality was marginal.

The best of Afro-beat at and outdoor family friendly venue!

Positive, joyful, uplifting afro-beat music! Great for the family, couples, and friends in general. The zoo is a beautiful outdoor concert venue. Femi Kuti lives up to the reputation as a world class act.

Another 2-hour non-stop show from Femi Kuti and The Positive Force. It is fortunate for the Pac NW that we are on their tours! High energy, got everyone dancing and soulful - always recommended.

This girl must dance. I went to see Femi Kuti to experience hot, sweaty, tribal, lose yourself in it dancing, and boy did they deliver. The energy and passion on stage was matched by the energy and passion in the audience as everyone was caught up in the tribal rhythmic frenzy. I danced and danced and danced. . . . . . .this girl was completely satisfied. :) Thank-you Femi et al.

King Sunny Ade and his band rocked it like none other. He's still got it, and he spread smile's across the face of everyone in the place. Femi Kuti, was a little loud that evening and less polished. Oh do I miss his former dancers! There's a bit yet to be learned with some of his new crew! Nevertheless, this concert was not to be missed!!!

It was a wonderful event. We enjoyed dancing all night long and singing along with both musicians. When are they coming back?

This show was my first Hollywood Bowl experience and I was absolutely pleased! My favorite of the night was Santogold! She sounded great and her energy was great. Plus, my friends and I had an entire row and we danced the whole time! :)

Femi was a dissapointment. In the absence of music he decided to make as much noise and as loud as possible.

he put on a good show with alot of energy. Santigold was awesome also. she has great stage presence, and raphael saadiq was alright; or the the crowd was tough.

Santigold killed it! Those beats were just so raw and Santi White's vocals matched up perfectly. She flows AND sings really well, which is amazing. Sounds like nothing you've ever heard before.. Pretty crazy considering it's 2009! Femi Kuti's music is POWERFUL. His energy is so forceful that everbody(literally) in attendance was up dancing. Even if you aren't the dancing type you'd be helpless against the good vibes in the air. The set is such a grand production, from the instruments to the dancers to Femi Kuti's high spirits that I'd recommend this show to anyone and everyone, even if it's necessarily their style. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because we missed Raphael Saadiq, which sucks because we didn't get there super late or anything. Apparently he started at 7 on the dot! Which is kinda rare nowadays. And even worse is his set was only about 20 minutes long! Not sure if that's the way The Hollywood Bowl operates or what the deal is, but it was definitely a downer. We spoke with LOTS of other people that had missed his set, too. Kinda sad, really, considering all the problems with traffic and parking around the venue. Now we know to get there early if we wanna see the opening act. Even though we were really looking forward to seeing Saadiq, the show was STILL amazing, which is saying something!

I really appreciated the blend of Rafael, Santogold and Femi. 3 very different styles of music, but all phenomenal and all overlapping and borrowing from each other. Great show!

I went to this concert to see Rapheel Saadiq and he was the 3rd opening act. He was ok. Then Santigold came on and rocked the set. Never heard of her or her music prior to attending the show. She is awesome and from my hometown of Brooklyn, NYC. Her music sounds like the 80's group Missing Persons as well as MIA. I am now a fan and I can't wait to see her in concert again.

very fun played for at least an hour and a half straight no breaks and played all the hits

The event was incredible. We went to see Raphael Saadiq and left as huge fans of Santigold! All of the acts were great, but she was super hot!!!

The oregon zoo was a great venue to see Femi Kuti. It was a high energy show that got ppl up off their blankets and dancing.

I loved the Hollywood Bowl and all of the performances

I applaud the Hollywood Bowl for embracing genres that might not necessarily represent the spirit of where they're usually coming from. So it was "world" night at the Bowl. Cool. I happen to be a mature African American woman there to see, primarily, Femi Kuti. I am a big fan of Afrobeat, Palmwine, etc., out of Africa and have seen Femi before. At the same time, I love hip hop, neo soul, R&B and am a fan of Rafael Saadiq. The problem is that the large numbers of people in the crowd who are great fans of Santigold seemed confused and completely unfamiliar with the two artists I most wanted to see. About as stunned as I was at Santigold's performance, who I had to research prior to the show. Bottom line: The two groups of fans absolutely did NOT mix well, and it made for an extremely awkward vibe in the venue. Maybe too much diversity at once is not necessarily a good thing.

King Sunny Ade is legendary! Loved his set, his smooth, calm, quirky attitude really came through! It was a great show! Could tell Femi Kuti is arrogant and probably walks all over his crew to get what he wants. KSA ROCKS!

Was a beautiful day at the bowl! My Guest and I missed Raphael Saddiq, but saw Santigold and Femi. Santigolds set was cool, was not my favorite part of the show though. Femi was Ridiculous was my first time seeing him. Would love to catch him at a smaller venue next time he is in LA, just so I can hear the rhythm section a little more.

Femi Kuti is the "worlds" greatest musician, second only to the late great Fela Kuti. No other musician can play four instruments simultaneously, with a musically rich band, energetic dancers, all while delivering powerful messages in his lyrics.

I drove from Charlotte, NC to Atlanta to see this show! I had the best time and it was well worth the trip!

Two quite different gigs. King Sunny had 5 drummers, Femi had 5 on brass. The sounds were different. KSA was funker, Femi was very loud.

Synthesis of incredible music and dance. . . authentic and beautiful. . .get close seats for this one. . .it's great musicianship and a visual spectacle. Thanks to the Ludlow Garage for bringing him to Cincinnati. Please bring him back!!!!!

I consider it a privilege to watch Femi anytime he is in town. Great performer/singer/activist. The energy on stage was infectious.

Femi was just awesome. He knows how to engage the crowd while remaining an ambassador for the injustice and shortcomings of this world. Speaking about the problems of the world especially the African continent and relating them to the people of the western world has always been one of his great strengths. Lyrics and vibes deserve a top A rating!

Femi always put on a great show!!! The energy is amazing!!!

if you didnt dance through this, you were dead ! Cant wait to see Femi and The Positive force again

The show was great but the phone screens everywhere were a real annoyance! People should not film while other people are trying to watch, thanks, J Leduc

Great performance from Femi and his band ... I recommend this brother to anyone who loves Afrobeat

Femi's saxophone skills, catchy beats, mesmerizing dancers...left me wanting more...the two hours of performance was well worth it!!

Amazing night. Femi and his band, Positive Force, are just that, a positive force. We danced the whole time and will be getting tickets every-time he is in my area. Thank you Femi!

I am a huge Fela fan. I hadn't even listened to Fema but figured I would check it out, hoping the fruit wouldn't fall tooo far from the tree. Fema rocked it. The music just gets under your skin and makes you shake your booty. The musicians are so so good as are the dancers/back up singers. The ONLY way I would have enjoyed this more is if Fema would have played one of his father's songs.

Powerful experience! Will definitely do that again!

CLASSIC...HE IS LEGENDARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..LUV TO SEE HIM AGAIN IN L.A.

Perspective.  After all the concerts I have seen  in the last year, Thursday night I got a huge dose of it.  Seeing a man so passionate about his music is a beautiful thing. Plus, it makes you want to dance and dance we did.  Femi Kuti & The Positive Force swept over the crowd with exactly that.  Music about struggle and passion with hope always shining through.  It was an amazing energy from a man that I can now say I respect.   Gonna be chasing this one for a while. 

Femi and the Positive Force are truly carrying the Afro-beat torch. The energy of this show is unparalleled. Driving rhythms, powerful horns, & Femi's own incredible playing and conducting of this band are incredible.

Would even have been better if there was an opening act or 2nd artist to complement the night.. In 2009 when i had first seen Femi Kuti, it was a 2-artist night. King Sunny Ade and Femi Kuti.

I figured Femi would go on stage (like every other headliner) at 10ish. We arrived at 10:15, listened to a couple of songs, then Femi thanked the crowd and bid us all goodnight. WHAT?!?!? When did he start playing? What happened to the opener? It would be great if HOB would post the set times. My husband has bad knees so we can't get there when the doors open and stand around until the band starts.

The show was all the way live!! However, it didn't start on time.

Such a vibrant and energetic show, I will definitely recommend it to everyone. A very nice mixed group of people as well and everyone seemed to have so much fun!

Femi has such an amazing energy, positive views, and "will have you dancing non-stop the entire show" kind of music that is imposible not to be amazed by it. If taht were not enough, the band and dancers really knock you off your socks. EXCELLENT!

2.5 hours of electric music through the night... The energy was jaw-dropping. I don't normally dance at concerts, but Femi, the groovy gents of the Positive Force and the luscious, bootylicious dancers kept me going the whole night!

This was an awesome show at a good venue. It wasn't oversold so there was a good amount of space for everyone to dance and enjoy the music. They had $4 rum n cokes! So we definitely loaded up on it. They also have a lounge area where you can hang out before the show or between sets. Very cool and nice way to meet no people in between. Femi's performance was entertaining and full of energy. He played his greatest hits plus a few new gems. Highly recommend it.

I would reccommend Femi Kuti to any waxing and wailing, right before hospice, or at one's acme of emotive vitality. Femi warmed up by walking down the stairs on the way to his keyboard. What a blessing. Wednesday's performance was the kind of soul sacrifice one experiences on serendipitous holidays. Even WIlliamsburg folk forgot about attending to their egos and let out existential howls throughout the two hour show. Sonically celestial and visually arresting: the singers were inhumanly lovely.

Afro-beat just brings you back to the basics. Rhythm, spontaneity, frenetic dance and positive energy. All ingredients that make this music so special and unique. Fela and Femi will always be the best ambassadors of this genre and will make sure it never disappears. Everyday you listen to all sorts of music when you live in NY but Afro-beat always surprises you with its fresh approach to vocals, back vocals, jazzy-funk-african percussion and powerful winds. Of-course not everyone might enjoy this music, but then, not everyone is my friend ;-)

Femi was truly amazing, and I would recommend for anyone who wants to have a great time and who loves music to go see him sing,play and dance!!!

Wow, what musicians! Femi Kuti & The Positive Force give a great show. The performers put out so much energy and the musicianship is superb. I loved the show once it started. Special mention must be given to his dancers who were excellent, fun, skillful and gave Femi, the musicians and the entire room all their energy. Fantastic!