Michael Franti & Spearhead @The Forum (20/09/06)

Thu 21st Sep, 2006 in Gig Reviews

One could be confused for thinking Michael Franti was a native of this great, brown land. He visits so regularly you’d be forgiven for mistaking the towering rocker for a St Kilda local. Many of the crowd that made their way to this show have seen Franti live before. However this adoring audience always expected something fresh and surprising and this evening was to be no exception.

One of Melbourne’s finest venues The Forum was decked out unlike I had ever seen before. The stage was draped with plants big and tall and it gave off a true roots/reggae feel that set the tone for the entire evening.

Australia’s own Blue King Brown were the opening act and to great surprise played in front of what was essentially a packed house. They could count themselves lucky that Michael Franti and Spearhead command such a strong following; nobody would risk missing the beginning of his show.

But this opening act played as if they were the star attraction. The front of house crowd bouncing in unison to the soul/funk/roots thumpers led by lead singer Natalie. A short set containing a couple of Triple J staples was completed and the group was gone as quick as they had come. By 8:30pm they had cleared the stage and the anticipation built. 

The following half hour was filled with tracks spun in front of the audience by a live DJ.  Consisting of largely South African beats and house music, the time between sets passed with a blink of an eye. By using some live vocals, invoking crowd participation and spinning thoroughly danceable tunes the night benefited from the personal touch and it helped hype the crowd up for what was about to come.

As the house lights dropped so did the back curtain to reveal a drape that took up the entire back wall. What now faced the crowd was a bullet-ridden target with a two-fingered peace sign set to send out a clear message that rang true all evening long. This wasn’t just about the music; this was about spreading a message of peace (and spreading some love). This man understands that only through being positive is he going to get this message across and it is infectious.

‘Time to go Home’ was the first taste of Franti for the evening and it was just what the crowd had been waiting for. It had the groove, the rock and the message that frequents so much of the American activist’s music. The positivity that exists is his desire for change resonates so well with this Australian audience and even the most cynical of listeners at least has to admire the conviction and manner in which Franti tries to bring about peace. But it wouldn’t matter if someone had no interest in the message because they couldn’t deny the fun in the music.

‘Time to go Home’ became an extended jam with each member of Spearhead getting their own moment in the sun to impress the crowd with their individual skills. This opening track became three and without a break they had worked their way through radio favourites ‘Yell Fire’ and ‘East to the West’. These three tracks blended together in an extended bounce-a-thon that lasted a whole half-hour! It was almost as if they had started with their encore and were going to work their way back. It was hard to imagine that the energy could be maintained throughout the whole event.

It was now time to chill however and over the next few tracks the group slipped between acoustic tinged glory and classic fun. A brief journey in to Bob Marley territory was enjoyed by all and soon enough it was time to deliver on some of that old Franti fun as the crowd totally lost their shit to old fave ‘Sometimes’. At one moment it was hard to see the band through the haze of pot smoke but the music was mighty fine and I for one had my dancing shoes on. More tracks from most recent album ‘Yell Fire’ followed and it became clear that this was the way most of the evening was going to go.

By the time the night was over, practically every song off the new album has been presented. If one was to gripe about anything at all it might be the lack of older material but that would truly be clutching at straws considering the band had us eating out the palm of their hands. One particular highlight was ‘Crazy, Crazy, Crazy’ off Everyone Deserves Music. Supported by schoolboy guitar virtuoso Kieran Murphy, the song became something special. The young man played like a man possessed and became a crowd hero. It was the surprise package of the night and a moment not to be forgotten.

Natalie of Blue King Brown was the next guest but now it was time to rock out.’We don’t Stop’ and ‘Yes I Will’ became two of the absolute highlights of the night. The pure, unadulterated fun of these two tracks could break even the hardest of characters. At this point it was just about dancing and singing, and even though this crowd agrees with the anti-war message being spread through the music, it was nice to just shake it for a bit and focus on the tunes.

The set finished with ‘What I Be’ and it was smiles all round. Not many gigs can produce the same ear to ear grins that abound at a Michael Franti affair. With a night so high in energy it was hard to imagine how things could lift for the encore but not surprisingly with a couple of classic party tunes the job was complete.

‘Everyone Deserves Music’ was followed by ‘Everybody ona Move’ and the crowd’s hopes were fulfilled. Each member of Spearhead again got to show off their amazing individual talents and the pure joy of the songs shone through. The entire audience (including the stalls) jumped and pulsated in unison for these final two tracks and nobody could have been happier. The sweating and the smiling were at a maximum but that’s what the crowd had come for. The band thanked the fans profusely and everyone was happy.

There are not many political rockers out there that can bring as much joy as this particular act does. Even when the subject matter is a bit heavy, the meld of rock/reggae/hip-hop and pop gets the crowd smiling and moving. It won’t be too long until Michael Franti and Spearhead grace our shores again and to the members of this night’s crowd that is very welcome news indeed.