The Brooklyn Bowl – a venue so nice; they’ve expanded twice, to Las Vegas and London to be precise. It’s definitely the coolest bowling alley in the world, and puts all others to shame. The stage is a good size, the floor is widespread and even being in the back of the place is a marvel. Packed, silhouetted bodies boogie side to side as multicolor lights dart through and in between them. The kick drum lands piercing thuds into the chest, the bass walks about at a slightly, just slightly higher frequency. Guitars, electric and pedal steel, wail and pull back. Let’s talk about the Robert Randolph & the Family Band last Friday during their Thanksgiving Run.
At the Robert Randolph Show, the Pedal Steel is the pulpit from which every jam is a song and every song is a jam. It flows effortlessly because such is the law of labors of love. It’s a spiritual thing when hearing live music and watching it happen to line up so well that the crowd and band are having so much of a blast that the same very energy is shared freely. Robert Randolph channels a healthy Hendrix, with necktie wrapped tight around his head, hanging to the right; everyone has a sated smile on their face.
Outside is too damn cold for our blood this time of year; in the Brooklyn Bowl we shed our coats, layers, and hangups. It let the Family Band take us there. They hold the Dominant tone (B7) and Randolph shreds pentatonic prose on the pedal. It is breathtaking; the melody sits between the lungs and the ribcage like a deep breath. I emit that onomatopoeia that only true American groove elicits from me, “uhhhh” followed by a vulpine grin.
They were on point last Friday. For one thing, it is the birthday of cousin Marcus Randolph, the drummer. Eric Krasno is a perfect fit for the sit-in, as he and Randolph share smiles and guitar licks in slick fashion, as if the strings are saying to each other, “are you thinkin what I’m thinkin?” Randolph is a real showman. He can make the band stop and go like James Brown. He rhymes on the spot, a respectable stage skill for any musician. From there he goes right into his hit single, “Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That.” Everyone’s feeling it, the groove right through and end on the one. It looks to be the end of tonight’s performance.
When I think they’re gone for good out comes that fateful funky riff, “use me” the bill withers classic. He passes the mic to people in the front row. He cops the licks of the ones who can sing. Fuck off, Gene Simmons, this is rock and roll at it’s finest. Robert Randolph is modern music’s Pastor, and his music can make anyone’s dark despair turn to hope and joy. Slowly but surely, that E minor turns major, like a frown to a smile. He takes it to church in a bowling alley-meets-world class music venue. If you’re sad, go see a Robert Randolph show to feel happy. If you’re happy, go see a Robert Randolph show to feel even better.