PRINTRecap: Mojo’s A-Go-Go with Kings Go Forth, Netherfriends and Haii Usagi
Futuristic, psychedelic and soulful tunes liven up True/False nightlife.
Nick Schnelle
The band Netherfriends performs during the True/False Film Fest's Mojo's A-Go-Go concert on Saturday, March 5.
March 6, 2011 | 11:24 a.m. CST
Walking into Mojo’s during True/False weekend is like walking into a familiar hangout spot with good friends all around. With the smell of incense and beer permeating the venue, Haii Usagi, Netherfriends and Kings Go Forth brought three different styles of music together in typical True/False fashion.
The night began with Columbia band Haii Usagi playing its experimental sounds for about 20 people. Band members Eric Burch and Pete Hansen picked up speed as their set continued with songs such as “Hayai,” “Bunny Key” and “4554,” to which the audience kept pace. Yet the lyrics, or rather screamed syllables, were indistinguishable and far overshadowed by the drums and guitar.
With a solid 50-member audience at the start of its set, Netherfriends transitioned the crowd into its quirky style of psychedelic pop, which began with Jennifer Lopez’s “Jenny from the Block.” A makeshift drum kit, fashioned from metal pipes, pots, an empty kerosene can and one drum kept the beat for lead vocalist Shawn Rosenblatt.
Kings Go Forth ended the night with a packed house from beginning to end. However, the size of the stage limited the band from playing its mix of funk and soul in full force. With diverse instruments, including guitar, trumpet, drums, trombone and bongos, the band was able to keep its music fresh by having each member solo throughout the set.
Two major crowd pleasers in the 12-song line up were “Paradise Lost” and “One Day.” By the end of “Paradise Lost,” the audience was hooked on the unexpected vocals that filled the room. Once the set was finished, the band left in its soulful way and filed out into the audience to disappear for the rest of the night. The crowd, however, was left with a little more soul and sense of camaraderie that can always be felt during True/False weekend.
