On Saturday, February 13th, the jam gods and opened the floodgates for one of the craziest shows to hit one of Atlanta’s premier venues, The Tabernacle, in recent memory.
Consistently hosting a slew of the most righteous concerts in the city, The Tabernacle is a beacon of light for those in the know, and its intrinsic pull has led to many an unforgettable night in the heart of the south.
On this brisk Georgia evening, fans were met with a stunning 3-peat performance for the record books. Kicking off with a Marc Brownstein AKA Brownie (of The Disco Biscuits/Conspirator) DJ set, Michal Menert & The Pretty Fantastics soon followed, only to be capped off by the night’s pièce de résistance, Lotus.
As imagined, Michal Menert & The Pretty Fantastics were pretty freakin’ fantastic. If you’re familiar with the man’s work, it shouldn’t come as any surprise. Backed by his current band, The Pretty Fantastics, the group tore through a high-energy set that fused jam and electronica into perfect harmonium.
Captained by the maniacal beat chef Menert, the infectious blend of warped wobbles and fiery live timbres brought the house down – only building anticipation for the night’s eventual peak.
As Menert and his cohorts wrapped up their tightly wound set, the crowd drooled with anticipation for Lotus to take the stage and bring the vibe up to the upper echelon of musical jubilation. They were more than up for the task.
The Philadelphia-based electro-funk quintet is perhaps known best for their quirky noodling sound that blends jam, funk, electro, tinges of jazz, and more into a single signature style.
Kicking things off with the long time staple, “Intro to a Cell,” the band grabbed The Tabernacle by the coattails and didn’t let go until the end of their blistering set. Words won’t do it justice, but something clicked to bring a palpable depth and energy to their performance that night. Whatever it was, it was evident from the get-go that this would be a big one.
Keeping things fresh, Lotus kept fans on their toes with a mixture of newbies and time tested crowd favorites that served as a sort of musical roadmap for their career.
Quickly following up their opener with November 2015’s release, “Basin to Benin,” the band hit their stride and rolled through the groover with their time-tested funky prowess.
Treating the crowd to a ridiculously fat “Flower Sermon,” the band jammed its way along a mind bending roller coaster ride that culminated in “Spaghetti”. On to more surprises, other standouts include the brand new instrumental jam, “Cold Facts,” that was first unveiled earlier this month in Boston.
The perennial fan favorite, “Behind Midwest Storefronts,” tore the house down as it always does, bringing the night’s fervor to rousing new heights before climaxing with the brand new disco-flavored release, “Eats the Light.”
As the last chords of “Eats the Light” rang out, igniting the crowd into an all-out frenzy, the set came to an end. Hands and heads pointed to the heavens, drinking in the last seconds of glory from the set.
Quick to return for their encore, the quintet launched into the intergalactically funky “What Did I Do Wrong” from 2013’s Build.
Given one word to describe the madness that was Lotus at The Tabernacle, otherworldly might suffice. Working the crowd with a skill and ease that only bands of their caliber possess, Lotus led attendees on an aural journey complete with too many sky high peaks and breathtaking valleys to count.
It was a show that guarantees to be etched into memory for those who were there, promising to bring back glowing reminiscences for years to come. Doing what they do best in pure Lotus style, they captured the hearts of the crowd last night, refusing to let go until magic worked its way through every corner of the venue.
Check out a handful of clips from the night, courtesy of Live and Listen, as well as the full setlist below:
Setlist: Lotus at The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA – 2/13/16
Set: Intro to a Cell, Basin to Benin, Flower Sermon > Spaghetti > Sunrain, Cold Facts, Ashcon, Inspector Norse, It’s All Clear to Me Now > Expired Slang, Behind Midwest Storefronts, Eats the Light
Encore: What Did I Do Wrong