Allison Hadley Photos
Sometimes, in mid-late February, the relentless gray skies, noncommittal precipitation, and prospect of another month of similar weather can really bring a body down. And sometimes, shows like Prince Royal and MAKU Soundsystem are the equivalent of four days of tropical sunshine and relaxed vibes, the perfect prescription to cure the late winter blues.
The crowd came to the State House on Friday evening excited and ready to dance, shoulders dipping and hips swaying as cumbia steps were hurriedly translated to less experienced shoes. And dance they did, whether to the musicians or to the expertly curated series of interstitial music, courtesy of DJ Shaki and his stunningly varied vinyl collection.
Opener Prince Royal and the Souls of Zion Band wandered up to the stage and warmed up with some truly humid beats, creating a haze in the crowd thick as any island sunset with gentle waves of sound. With the band shouting dub-roots reggae gospel to the crowd, the room settled into laid back grooves, dancing and marching along to the beat. The rhythm section constituted the entire band — including lead singer ‘Prince Royal’ Li’uli Negasi — with drum set, two auxiliary percussionists, multiple keys and multiple rhythm guitars, not to mention the bass, which kept the beat by marching the entire set. The drummer on kit, bespectacled in round, reflected sunglasses that seemed to shimmer with the beat, hit impeccable triplets and radiated the rhythm, never seeming to exert herself. Negasi loomed tall at the front of the band, playing around the beat with an endless stream of words and keeping the audience centered. He gave thanks, and so did we.
Another well-crafted DJ set moved from roots reggae to Colombian cumbia and Peruvian chicha — guiding the transition to MAKU Soundsystem, of Colombia by way of Queens. A self-described immigrant punk band, the group bantered in a mixture of Spanish and English and brought bass-driven beats that were as infectious as they were danceable. Highlights included the song “Machete,” which involved chanting the same in a song billed as “about cutting the bad things out of your life” with an upbeat, driving beat to keep the set moving forward. Blasting roughly a thousand different percussion instruments, each constituting a fraction of the rhythm section (who knew you could fit so many notes in a beat?), MAKU Soundsystem proudly centered their Colombian roots even as they mixed the Latin with the Afro. Bassist, Juan Ospina prowled the stage, asking people to honor the fire of the Earth that calls us all. Digging into reggae beats and harmonizing beautifully with fellow vocalist Liliana Conde, herself never without a deep repertoire of bells, shakers, and other percussion, Ospina kept the groove tight and driving.
The crowd danced, if not in traditional modes, then by simply letting the beat move them around the room. The periodic shout of “viva Colombia!” echoed the sentiments of the entire crowd by the end of MAKU’s set. Yet another blast of tropical sun to cure the New England winter blues.
The State House consistently brings in groups that, to quote Ospina, “bring the culture” and a series of beats and sounds not often seen or created in Connecticut — from Mdou Moctar to Anbessa Orchestra (returning in March!) to last year’s Money Chicha: here’s to more hot beats even before summer arrives.
