A New Venue opened tonight in Grand Rapids. It’s called 20 Monroe and it’s right next to the BOB. It’s attached as a matter of fact. It has been done in some collaboration with The House of Blues. It is a really fun place and because we found out an artist the wife and I are both incredibly curious about was the premier opening night act, we just had to go. But we found out about it a bit late, so the best we could do for seats were the back row. But understand this place holds roughly 2400 so even though we were a way off, we still had a pretty good view. Almost a Fountain Street Church, but when you get way up there, not so much. Some shows will have chairs on the main floor. This one did not. The Stage can move forward or back etc. Interesting. There are bars on both sides of the stage, and waitresses work the seated areas in the balcony.
All things considered I’m a fairly passive concert viewer. I don’t clap along, sing along, and I never give a standing O unless the performance moved my soul. I’ve given 3 in my life and many times have sat amidst an ocean of standing people. But when this show started I began moving. I couldn’t help it. It’s somewhere in my DNA. Soul/Jazz/Funk is somehow in my white bread suburban ass. I don’t know why. But maybe it’s when my folks bought somewhat of a stereo when I was around 13, it came with Ray Charles. His Greatest Hits. The LP. And I wore the grooves off. This was great stuff to me just as I was being hard-wired. So maybe that had something to do with it. It might also explain why the CD The Best of James Brown is a permanent fixture in my Corvette. And the latest permanent out there is my last purchase. TuPac. Me Against the World. So I had to see this guy.
My sister happened to see him as an opening act at Red Rocks outside of Denver and she brought him to our attention. And we were definitely interested. Now we are definitely hooked.
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue opened the 20 Monroe Venue. In honor there is a Trombone Chandelier that will hang in that lobby until the end of time because of it. Trombone Shorty is one little ball of talent. He plays trombone the best I’ve ever heard, and he makes it cool. How can one make the trombone cool? But he does. He plays the best trumpet I’ve ever heard. Davis, Gillespie, Bodie, Armstrong, any. He even plays the drums. And his singing is impeccable. And he dances like James Brown. This guy is just one body of pure talent. And his band are excellent as well. A kid that looks like he’s a senior in high school on guitar and he’s great. A bass player, Baritone Sax and Bass Sax that are awesome, and a drummer, that even thought I have never seen a better drummer than the one with Chris Bodie, he was incredible. When Trombone Shorty did this song that sort of morphed into a James Brown thing and he was doing all the moves and dancing, with the moonwalk tossed in, and the band is so tight, was simply inspiring. I told my wife later that if I could play in any kind of band and play any kind of music that was it. Jazz/Blues/Funk/Soul in no particular order.
I have never seen a better band. Ever. I’ve seen some great bands. The Eagles, Dylan, Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and Lyle Lovett’s Large Band and many more. Excellent for sure. But these guys set the bar. Wow. Number after number I kept thinking, “Certainly they are closing with this.” But no they kept charging on.
I have seen some great shows folks. The Eagles front row. Frank Sinatra. Bruce Springsteen - 13 times, Lyle Lovett - twice, Tom Waits, The Ramones, Paul McCartney, Prince, The MC5, and even Elvis Costello. But none were better than these guys. None. This show will easily make my list of best shows ever. Probably in the top 5.
Watch for this guy. He’s a comer. Penny commented on the way home that she thought we saw him at a good time. It’s not always going to be this easy to see him this close. It’s like when I saw Diana Krall up close and personal. A few weeks later, she was a big deal. I walked right back stage at St. Cecelia’s and got an autograph.
Anyhow, this was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. And in the future, you’re going to like this venue. And if you ever get a chance to see this guy, do it.
Grade: A
