In these contentious times, with an election right around the corner, it can be easy to forget that there’s far more that binds us than divides us as people. Fortunately, The Motet were ready to remind a jubilant crowd at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles of the power that music has to bring us all together.

Following a crisp, rockabilly-esque opening set from The Dip, the Denver-based septet stepped onto the stage with its signature blend of funk, jazz and afrobeat that’s equal parts Rocky Mountain high and New Orleans second line…
Well, maybe The Motet is more than a smidge heavier on the former than the latter, what with all the talking and toking on “Like We Own It,” alongside songs like “I Get High on You” and “So High.”

Still, the band did more than pay homage to the herbal essences of both its hometown and its adopted second home of L.A. Vocalist Lyle Divinsky lent his pipes and energy to a selection of scintillating songs—from a recent standard like “Back It Up” to a cover of “Take Your Time (Do It Right),” to a slew of new tracks off the upcoming album Death or Devotion.

When Lyle wasn’t busy singing his heart out and dancing barefoot, the rest of the lineup more than did its part to take the audience on a journey through thin air and beyond the reaches of the sonic atmosphere. Joey Porter put his keyboards to use for everything from banging out melodies to generating spacy sound effects and modulating his own vocal tones. Ryan Jalbert and Garrett Sayers both had ample opportunity to shred on the guitar and bass, respectively. And with Dave Watts holding it down on drums behind a brilliant blend of brass from Drew Sayers and Parris Fleming, the whole band painted plenty of cosmic soundscapes for all to enjoy.

Truth be told, The Motet did their part to get political, as the times demand. Beyond Lyle encouraging everyone to “emanate love” and ginning up any reason he could to celebrate, the group got overt with its calls to action by busting out “Whatcha Gonna Bring,” a funktastic single produced and released in conjunction with HeadCount, to encourage fans of all stripes to go to the polls.

No matter how the midterms turn out—and no matter where you stand on any of the potential outcomes—there’s one thing we should all be able to agree on: The Motet deserves our vote.