When you name your band Galactic, expectations precede you. Galactic was well aware of those expectations when they performed at the 9:30 club Sunday night.
The New Orleans-based ensemble is centrally comprised of a saxophonist, drummer, bassist, keyboardist and guitarist. But, as members of Galactic are quick to mention, their sound is extremely malleable. Their most recent album features a strong list of guest MCs, while past albums incorporated soulful vocalizations from ex-member Theryl DeClouet.
Live, however, vocalists are left by the wayside for Galactic's core instrumental sound. Sunday night's performance added a trumpet and trombone to the mix. While the guest brass section, described by saxophonist Ben Ellman as "New Orleans' finest," looked as though the group had found them roadside en-route to D.C., they blasted some of the most energetic and playful solos of the evening. Galactic thrives on the variety of those solos; every band member was given at least two, while guitarist Jeff Raines and Ben Ellman and his pair of horn players enjoyed the majority.
Their sound, a power-funk with inescapable elements of swing and electronica, relates best to funk classics like The Meters and Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Galactic favors a heavy, pulsing rhythm section and monophonic wind section, as opposed to the complex and dirty four-pieces that typically grace 9:30's stage.
Galactic's success is the result of a full awareness of their sound. Sunday night's performance was a testament to that understanding as the band delivered a set spiced with energetic solos and a flair of variability.
Galactic kept the sound going from track to track during the sold-out performance, stopping only when the two horn players were introduced or when band members would leave the stage, changing the dynamic of the sound. Strobe lights, automated spotlights and projections of faces or people walking kept the show visually appealing and contributed to its club vibe.
Elements like the people walking on the projection screen are a fantastic example of how well Galactic understands its niche. Moving bass lines and honking horns are inescapably reminiscent of a busy city street. Galactic's genre-blending music is exceptionally representative of the New Orleans culture from which they hail.
The set lasted for two packed hours, extended at the end by a formidable drum solo during which drummer Stanton Moore stood up and kept playing as he walked all the way around his set. The forgone conclusion of an encore was perhaps the highlight of the evening as the band played crowd favorite "Baker's Dozen," not leaving an ounce of unused energy.
There is no room for criticism. When a band understands itself as well as Galactic, it's the out-of-place audience member that is at fault. Fortunately, few found themselves out of place on Sunday, as Galactic left the stage to a lasting final burst of applause.
You can reach this staff writer at tbudde@theeagleonline.com.
