It’s not every Tuesday that you get to see a one-man blues band and a captivating soul performance from a few feet away in your hometown, but that’s exactly what a handful of Fantastic Negrito fans were treated to at the Crowbar in Brisbane on Tuesday night. This was the first headline show on his Australia tour after appearances at Port Fairy Folk Festival and WOMADelaide Festival before continuing to Sydney and Melbourne later this week.
Melbourne blues singer and multi-instrumentalist Shaun Kirk kicked things off with the timid crowd quickly mesmerised by his unassuming virtuosity. The setup comprised a simple drum kit with pedals for each component, a harmonica on a holder and a 70-year-old electric guitar that wailed with the best of them. A stomping kick pulsed through the room as raspy vocals soared above the strings, delivering a dynamic performance of impressive coordination and palpable emotion.
Once the crowd warmed up to Kirk, he had them clapping along and tapping their feet from the desk to the bar. Each song built on the last, with extended outros smoothly transitioning into the next groove or catchy riff. The singalong “Holding onto Hope” was a standout, introduced with a wholesome speech about turtles being ignorant of Bitcoin and how we can all change the world from the inside out. For a solo venture with relatively few followers, this guy deserves a lot more attention.
By the time Fantastic Negrito and his band hit the stage, the small but loyal crowd was more than ready to get down. The first thing that came to mind was how this California five-piece has an exceptional dress sense, and each member looked like they would fit right into their own band. It’s this blend of styles that makes the music so fun and interesting, from blues and soul elements to roots and jazz inflections.
Flanked by a dexterous bassist and a quietly competent guitarist, with a keyboardist on two Nord synths and a lively drummer behind, Fantastic Negrito’s commanding presence made it hard to decide where to look at any given moment. Seriously, this guy’s got moves and he performed most of the set with his eyes closed in another realm. It became clear very quickly that these are all very talented musicians, and seeing them each do their thing from the front of the stage was an absolute delight.
It almost seemed more like a jam session at times as the band effortlessly picked up on each other’s cues and ran with it in whichever direction felt right, reading the room and frequently adlibbing between lyrics. Funky strums and bright melodies strutted over busy basslines and fast breaks, with Negrito’s soulful call-and-response vocals keeping the crowd engaged throughout. He made sure that they went home with these wise words from “Chocolate Samurai” burned into their brains: “Eat less sugar and have more sex.”
The set featured all the hits, from “An Honest Man” to “Plastic Hamburgers”, as well as recent singles “California Loner” and “I Hope Somebody’s Loving You” from his latest album Son of a Broken Man. They played for a solid 90 minutes before returning for an unplanned encore to satiate the demands of a crowd who were hungry for more at quarter to 11 on a Tuesday night. And if that’s not an indication of the kind of show that these guys put on regardless of the room, then what is?
Catch Fantastic Negrito at one of the remaining shows of his Australia tour with Shaun Kirk, Ally Row or Laneous before it’s too late. You won’t want to miss it!
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Photo credit: Cary Roulston
