Getting Funky at The Fillmore with Lettuce
Funk Masters Bring the Party to Charlotte
It’s hard to believe it, but Lettuce has been bringing us the funk for over 30 years. From the very beginnings of the band back at Berklee College of Music to the worldwide success of today, Lettuce has been a collective of outstanding musicianship and creative force. With each member of the sextet bringing their own musical stylings and skills to the band, Lettuce is truly a one-of-a-kind band. The band is currently out wrapping up their fall tour and recently made a stop here in Charlotte at The Fillmore for an evening of funkadelic delights.
So what makes a Lettuce show so special? You’ll be treated to auditory sensations from world-class musicians running the gamut from cool jazzy vibes to funky get off your ass and dance tunes and everything in between. You can zone out and vibe to the jams or dance the night away. The choice is entirely up to you and whichever way you choose to experience the show, you will be in for an amazing time.
Fun Fact: The name Lettuce comes from the band’s early days when they would beg club owners to “let us play.”
The band took their place on the stage to thundering applause from the capacity crowd, each member taking their requisite spot. As the venue lights dazzled in an array of blues washing over the stage, Lettuce got things going with “Blast Off,” which included a little intro of “Chameleon” by Herbie Hancock and The Headhunters. Right away, we all knew we were in for a treat. The band was on fire. Nigel was nestled at the back of the stage, partially hidden from view by his numerous keyboards as he jammed away while drummer Adam Deitch kept the pace from his kit situated stage left. Adam “Shmeaans” Smirnoff and Erick “Jesus” Coomes were a tandem duo as Adam lit up his fretboard with magical fingers and Erick brought the grooving bass lines. Our funky horn section was opposite, stage right, with Ryan on sax and Eric on trumpet throughout the set.
Right after “Waffles,” they got right into a funkified version of “Everybody Wants To Rule The World,” by Tears for Fears, of course putting their own, unique spin on things. The crowd was amped up and when they got to “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright,” we were feeling it on all levels, losing ourselves for a brief moment of time, getting lost in the musical paradise that was happening before us.
Fun Fact: Guitarist Adam “Shmeaans” Smirnoff has toured with the one and only Lady GaGa.
Lettuce left it all out on the stage, giving us everything they had as we soaked it all in not wanting the evening to end. The band has one more date on this tour, so go out and get your funk on while you can.
Opening the evening was the local band Cosmic Collective. Describing their sound as music from outer space, Cosmic Collective was a great blend of jazzy electronica with some layers of vocals mixed in. A perfect addition to the evening, the band has us warmed up and wanting more. Go check them out for yourself and see all they have to offer.
Lettuce is:
Adam Deitch – Drums, Percussion
Adam “Shmeaans” Smirnoff – Guitar
Erick “Jesus” Coomes – Bass Guitar
Ryan Zoidis – Alto, Baritone, & Tenor Saxophone, Korg X-911
Eric “Benny” Bloom – Trumpet
Nigel Hall – Vocals, Hammond B-3, Rhodes, Clavinet, Keyboards
See the Full Gallery of the Night Here!
If you happened to capture any shots of the night, feel free to tag us on social media at Shutter 16 Magazine and throw in #Shutter16 and #TwitFromThePit for the world to see.
https://cosmiccollectivemusic.com/
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