Indianapolis, IN. – What can I say about Wednesday evening? Not normally a big “going out night” in the hierarchy of week nights, but this evenings line-up promised to be a good reason for getting out of the house! Forty5 Presents was bringing New Orleans jam band Galactic with opener LowDown Brass Band to the historical Vogue Theatre for a night of jazz-funk, reggae, hip-hop and soul.
First up was Chicago’s own LowDown Brass Band. Providing a great mixture of Chicago’s music culture, this all horn band currently features members Shane Jonas (trumpet/lead vocals), Andrew Zelm (trombone), Lance Loiselle (sousaphone), Sam Johnson (trumpet), Matt Davis (trombone), John Barbush (drums), and Anthony Evora AKA MC Billa Camp. From the moment these guys hit the stage, you couldn’t help but get your feet moving – giving a solid 60-minute set filled with all original music; the band featured several songs off their latest LP LowDown Nights released this past February via Dibs Records. The bands unique mixture of deep grooves, funky beats and hip-hop breaks quickly filled the space in front of the stage with fans out shaking what their momma gave em’! The night was just getting started and the LowDown Brass Band had definitely set the tone for the evening.
After a quick set change it was time for the main event. Next up was the jam band powerhouse Galactic. This New Orleans Quintet featuring Ben Allman (saxophone/harmonica), Robert Mercurio (bass), Stanton Moore (drums), Jeffrey Raines (guitar), Richard Vogel (keys) has been around 25 years and played along side some great groups including The Roots, Widespread Panic, B.B. King, and James Brown just to name a few. Currently joined on stage by Shamarr Allen (trumpet) and Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph (vocals), Galactic headed out on their Winter Tour 2022 to bring that NOLA sound to the masses.
This was my first time capturing Galactic and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I was familiar with the band and personally owned 2010’s Ya-Ka-May album; but there’s a big difference between a studio album and a live performance – not to mention, Galactic was known for collaborating with many different vocalists over the years, not really having a lead singer. That had recently changed with Anjelika ‘Jelly’ Joseph joining the group after a handful of powerful performances with the band. I was excited to see them after years of hearing about the energy they brought to a performance and really hoped after a long week that they didn’t disappoint. As I looked out around the room and caught several members of Indiana’s own favorite jam band 3:1 (Three to One)/Starcat in the audience, I knew I was in for a treat!
Taking the stage with a song off their most recent release Already Ready Already the band wasted no time getting right down to business keeping that same tempo through-out the over 90-minute set. Funk was in the house and it was getting sweaty as the band rolled through their extensive catalog of grooves including “Higher & Higher”, “Hey Na Na” and “Heart of Steel” followed by a smoking cover of “Yes We Can Can” by the beloved NOLA music legend Allen Toussaint; About the time they rolled into Blind Willie Johnson’s “Nobody’s Fault But Mine”, the band owned the room! If you were lucky enough to bear witness, you knew you’d just been schooled on what that NOLA jazz-funk is all about – What the hype around Galactic is all about and why they’ve been around for 25 years and still evolving and growing!
When not out touring, you can find Galactic at their “unofficial home base”, the world famous Tipitina’s Nightclub in New Orleans, LA.
SETLIST: INDIANAPOLIS, IN
- Clap Your Hands
- Out In The Street
- You Don’t Know
- Cineramascope
- Higher & Higher
- Something’s Wrong With This Picture
- Hey Na Na
- Go Down (Big 6 Brass Band cover)
- Right On
- Heart of Steel
- Yes We Can Can (Allen Toussaint cover)
- Crazyhorse Mongoose
- 68 & Cloudy
- Nobody’s Fault But Mine (Blind Willie Johnson cover)
- Dolla Diva
- Getcha Sum
Encore:
- AP Touro (Rebirth Brass Band cover)
- Rock Steady (Aretha Franklin cover)
Sadly, Galactic’s Winter Tour 2022 ended this weekend but they’ll be hitting the festival scene starting in April through July. You can click here to check out show dates near you; and while you’re waiting for that summer festival, be sure to check out Galactic’s latest single, “Float Up” featuring Anjelika ‘Jelly’ Joseph!
Show Date: 03/23/2022
Set List: LowDown Brass Band – Indianapolis, IN.
- Ghost Town
- Be The One Tonight
- King Tut
- Can I Kick It?
- We Dem Boys
- Rain
- Search The Hills
- Wake Up
- Wake Up (Dub Interlude)
- Bourbon Street
- Opened Up
- Feels Good
