Heads up music lovers! Amid all the mania associated with the Voodoo Music Experience you don’t want to miss hearing about one of the best shows going on this weekend. So read on. Saturday night, after the gates at Voodoo close, the Joy Theater on Canal Street will feature this killer double bill. Doors are at 11 PM.
Gravity A has been a highly regarded band on the scene since 2004, but they really hit their stride a couple of years ago. Now, they have been really turning ears with a tribute to Talking Heads featuring the guitarist and vocalist Cliff Hines.
When I first heard about this lineup, I was skeptical. Hines is better known in creative music circles and jazz. As far as I know, he was not even regarded as a first-rate vocalist. Intrigued and expecting electro-jazzy takes on T-Heads, I went to one of the early iterations of this tribute last spring at Wednesdays at the Square.
Simply put, I was blown away.
Though he only did three songs, including the classic, “Burning Down the House,” Hines nailed it completely including the dance moves that made David Byrne an icon back in the day. The only thing missing was the big suit.
Adding to the mix is the great band Yojimbo, which is led by trombonist and vocalist Carly Myers (expect to hear more about the band, including the exclusive premiere of their new video, on TVD in the coming weeks).
Yojimbo recently completed a month-long residency at the Maple Leaf Bar. Though I only caught one Wednesday, Meyers’ infectious stage presence and the band’s tight grooves had a decent sized audience for a Wednesday night up and dancing.
Meyers loves to dress up and use props during her shows. At the Leaf she had a psychedelic light show going on throughout the night and a fully designed stage set, which added immensely to the immersive experience.
This is going to be a night for the ages. Tickets are available here.
