Seun Kuti

Seun Kuti New Album and Concert Review Regency Ballroom, San Francsico 7/16/11 First things first, a Seun Kuti show will wear you out. At the end of his concert, before the encore, if you haven t sweated out your cool, then you must not truly be alive and able to sense pure, original, African energy in, and coming out the music. The band, comprised of some serious sax and trumpet players, hypnotic dancers with memorable voices, and surrounded by elders- members of the Egypt 80 who played with Seun s father Fela on percussions and guitars, is simply a body rocking and mind opening experience, not just a concert. I first saw Seun live at Stern Grove in San Francisco, where he not only came out of his shirt and embodied a reincarnation of his dad in dance and in fiery lyrics, really blew the San Francisco crowd away with songs from his first critically acclaimed album, Many Things. The sound, the charisma, the rebel in your face stance, the tight pocket that is undeniable Afro-Beat (which I am more convinced is a blend of everything that is African and James Brown), hit me in a unique place because I knew at that moment I was hearing the closest to Fela I was every going to hear live. For the record, I ve been listening to Fela since 1991. I first heard him through my mentor at the time Mwatabu Okantah, on his radio show Windwords which came on Sundays on Cleveland State s Radio WCSB 89.3fm. Upside Down, Center of The World, and Mr Grammart (Calogylisationalism Is The Boss) are songs I was playing next to X Clan and Poor Righteous teachers in the early 90 s. After Stern Grove, I immediately went out and purchased Many Things and been watching the moves being made, including the new deal with Knitting Factory Records, From Africa with Fury: Rise the new video, and the various interviews online, one which includes Seun saying his music is for African people to wake up and solve their own problems. His latest album and live set at The Regency Ballroom on a cool Saturday night in San Francisco is a clear indicator that Seun is just getting warmed up, he s concerned about the same issues his ancestors were with, he s as cold on the sax as he is in orchestrating his band and vocals, and truly, along with artists like Nneka and Blitz The Ambassador, is setting a new tone for music and politics from an African point of view. Seun started his set, as always, by opening with a song by his dad Fela. For this occasion, Seun and The Egypt 80 chose Zombie to come out to. Incredibly hot from the onset, Seun spoke first with his horn, then with his voice, which is raspy, strong, and rich. The band is so solid that it seems almost effortless to the players, especially the two timekeepers, one controlling the claves and the other a shaker with serious dance moves all night which didn t mess up his crisp white shirt. Seun came out in a fresh grey shirt and pants to match, but I knew it, and the shirt knew it too, that it was about to get sweated out because Seun moves about the whole stage with the same fervor as his dad in dance and expression. Also, I m convinced that there is more than a performance going on because Fela s presence was felt in the atmosphere. Seun wasted no time and really gave a strong showcase of the music on From Africa with Fury: Rise, produced by Brian Eno, John Reynolds, and Seun Kuti, with additional production by Godwin Logie, and mixed by b and Tim Oliver. Slavemasters with lines like Till them tire for the cheating for many many years, shows that Seun has been in tune to global politics today and his ancestral past, with a rhythm that doesn t just makes you dance but feel the sentiment, and the title song Rise should be the anthem for new Africa and freedom and not just used for soccer stadiums and sporting events. My favorite line of Rise have to be when he admonishes petroleum and diamond companies wey dey use our brothers as slaves for the stones. Other strong songs of the night were Mr. Big Thief and The Good Leaf. Seun must ve known he was in Northern California, (maybe not after telling the crowd he was tired from the jetlag from Europe), but by the colorful smell of cannabis that hovered over the ceiling of the Regency Ballroom, the good leaf was definitely in the house. The crowd, blended with San Fran hipsters who many have just jumped on the Fela bandwagon, Africans in button ups, and everyday people who clearly knew of Fela and Seun s musical and historical background all had the place mostly packed. (the back towards the bar was light and there was room to dance). I can t understand for the life of me how a few people were sitting in the balcony during this electric performance, but they even looked worn out at the end of the night because of the constant original, African music. Do yourself a favor and pick up Seun s latest album, From Africa with Fury: Rise, and when you see Seun listed as coming to your city to perform, wear your dancing shoes, open your ears and be inspired, and open your eyes and witness the continuing of a family legacy of strength, power, and politics and music. His album is out on Knitting Factory Records.

The show was brilliant. Seun Kuti was everything we expected and more. The only negative thing about the show was Royce Hall. The ushers kept walking the late-comers to their seats, long after the show started, which was distracting and annoying. Just when we were enjoying the groove- we see a flashlight and shadows of people walking down the aisle. It ruined the moment. Some theaters do not allow this. Also, people were filming the event even though they were not suppose to and nobody stopped them. I would think twice about buying tickets for any concert that is going to be in Royce Hall.

really enjoyed how generous Seun was as a musician. Let others share the stage. Was such a good showman. Great energy. Really invigorated the audience. People were dancing, clapping, smiling. Great vibes! Thanks!! :)

This is my second Seun Kuti concert. The first time was at Grand Performances last summer. And though its been one year there was no fall off of energy and passion. After his first number the audience flocked to the stage and most stayed for the duration of the concert-nearly two hours! It was blazing hot!

Amazing performance by this highly energetic band! The rhythm is just irresistable and Sean's playing, singing, dancing is utterly infectuous! Too bad that there wasn't room enough to dance throughout the concert!!

Thank you Seun for such a fantastic show! Wow...great horn section! With a fantastic power and sound. I just wanted to stand up and dance!

Awesome show thank God he's playing this music in the tradition of his father. Forget ever going to Royce hall again, though. Three double doors and entrance by one dopey door guy though one door? Complete amateur hour, in venue terms. SOUND WAS AWFUL!!! SNARE DRUM SO MUCH COMPRESSION IT HAD NO ATTACK, did not sound anything close to a snare drum. Vocals constantly distorted. I would pay double to see him at a real venue run by professionals, with a real sound guy at the board.

Seun was just amazing!!! the whole band was full of energy. Too bad Royce Hall did not allow pictures.

Seun Kuti brought his late father's music alive,but really emphasized his own songs off his new Brian Eno produced album. the show was high energy from the start and by the end the entire royce hall floor(which is nototious for staying seated) was up dancing. The band was on fire all night with many amazing solos from the horn section.Hopefully next time they will play a venue more suitable for dancing.

Seun Kuti's incredible energy illuminated the Royce Hall!

The show had such energy and dynamics. The lead performer was indeed a talented and entertaining performer. He held nothing back in his expressiveness of the music and dance. Great performance over all.

Fela band and seun get it done. he is cool and band is africangreatest. Wow. Good feelin.

outstanding performance. A complete two hours of pure funk. I could not stop moving for the whole time. please bring them back.

This dude is talent. He brings the real hardcore origin of music. African Rhythm. I have no actual words to explain it but if you have not attended one of his concerts , you should. I was forced by my friends to go. But i wanted to stay longer even after the show had long come to an end. I saw many people dancing i was like are these people crazy but later i found my self dancing nuts. Its different and its artistic entertaining an lovely. Keep it up Kuti. Your awesome and blessed.

great energy. Can't help but get up and dance! Authentic African beats!

The music was good, but the doors opened over an hour after the advertised opening. I only caught about 5 songs of Seun and Egypt 80 because I had to pick up my wife at the airport. I hope this is not the case the rest of the tour.

For the price, this was one of the best concerts I've been to. I saw the Fela play at the Fox Theater, which was great, but this was a much more intimate concert. Seun Kuti opened with Fela's "Zombie," but the rest of the concert was all original Afrobeat music. The band was amazing. It was crazy how most of the band members were well over 60 years old, but they were able to blow away the band the was on the stage before them. I'm glad to see that the Kuti family is keeping the Afrobeat tradition alive.

Great rhythm, astounding energy, visually appealing, music wonderful

This was a fantastic show! Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 did not disappoint.

in love with seun kuti! i would go watch him where ever he is playing even if it was in a dark spooky dirty alley!

That was off the hook :) We danced the whole time...hope they come back soon

Wow. If that was the son, and the band 30 years later, I can't even begin to imagine what Fela and Egypt 80 was like back in the day. Seun was not only a skilled performer and band leader, but his tone and mastery of his idiom on Alto sax was excellent, The band, all past 50, were phenomenal. Like a well crafted machine, but one of sinew and soul, they kept us dancing, often wildly for the 2 hour set and encore. Part of why I was there was a video from last year, shot in a Seattle radio station of Khaira Arby. She is a formidable presence on stage, and a great big voice. However the band was mixed a bit too loud, and while the heavy metal histrionic of the lead guitar were a crowd please, if they had appeared in a different setting, those hammerhead trills and pyrotechnic riffing would have not moved the crowd. I was hoping for transformative malian beauty, but got a bit too rough and tumble from the sound person (why must they always abuse the support act). Last song of the set, Seun is doing call and response with the band, the horn section and percussionists are all singing these very intricate interlocking parts