If it’s early March, it must be time for New Orleans funk rockers Galactic to hit the west coast. So it was once again as the band wrapped their 2015 winter tour with their annual San Diego-Los Angeles-San Francisco run. And why not? The vernal equinox season springs early in California, making it a strategic time for bands from back east to visit and enjoy the balmy climate.
It’s always best to catch Galactic on a weekend if possible, where the band is known for throwing down two-set shows that go late into the night. But Southern California music fans have to take what they can get, and as such they showed up to pack the band’s Wednesday night gig at the Belly Up in San Diego’s Solana Beach for at least the third year in a row. Galactic rolling into town like a lion to help launch the spring season has now become an annual rite in the region.
Some fans took extra measures to get into the New Orleans spirit of things by having a pre-show meal at Bud’s Louisiana Cafe, San Diego’s answer for cajun cooking. It was easy to see the place was legit when their menu revealed no less than six different kinds of Abita beer from Louisiana. You can’t even get that kind of regional beer selection at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival fairgrounds, where Galactic are annual heroes. Bud’s was clearly the answer for those who won’t be able to make it to Jazzfest this year, with a menu that featured all the classic cajun dishes.
Kung Fu threw down a jam-heavy set to get things going at the Belly Up, although the early start time for the set (eight o’clock in the evening) proved a monkey wrench for some. But it was clear even for those who could only catch the end of the set that this is a band on the rise. The funk/fusion quintet from New Haven has been building a rep for “extreme funk” and improvised dance music and their powerful vibes could be distilled even from outside the venue, as fans could hear the band while picking up tickets at will call. There was a good crowd on hand,and wasn’t hard to imagine that Kung Fu could be headlining the Belly Up on their next visit to town.
There was little doubt that Galactic would deliver some extreme funk of their own. The tour poster hinted at this, with an astronaut’s helmet reflecting a drummer with hands that looked like Wolverine from the X-Men, save for the use of drumsticks for claws instead of adamantium steel spikes. This was a fitting analogy for Galactic drummer Stanton Moore, who seems to possess mutant abilities of both funk power and endurance. Moore has become known as one of the greatest funk drummers on Earth over the past two decades, powering Galactic to a career where they’ve largely come to epitomize 21st century New Orleans music. Moore’s unrelenting schedule at the 2014 JazzFest also suggested superhuman stamina, as he packed in one gig after another with both Galactic and a variety of side projects.
It’s always a pleasure to witness Moore and bassist Robert Mercurio in action, as they are one of the planet’s most dynamic rhythm sections. The chemistry usually flows right from the start, what with guitarist Jeff Raines, saxman Ben Ellman, and keyboardist Rich Vogel all being original members as well. That’s a quintet of road warriors that has logged countless gigs over the past two decades, yet they always seem fresh and enthusiastic about another night of getting down. Playing feel-good music for the body and soul has to be a great way to make a living, even with the endless mileage. Trombonist Cory Henry hasn’t been around quite as long, but he’s become a mainstay as well.
The new twist here was singer Erica Falls, stepping into the lineup now that 2014’s breakout star Maggie Koerner has moved on. Koerner captivated the Belly Up audience last year with her dynamic vocals and sassy charisma and Falls seemed to be cut from a similar mold. “Higher and Higher”, recorded last year with JJ Grey, was an early highlight with Falls matching the same energy the song’s previous vocalists have brought to bear. She owned it again on “Dolly Diva”, another new song from last year with a swaggering groove that has quickly become an electrifying staple of the band’s live show. Ellman and Henry traded horn blasts during another jam to fire up the audience, and Ellman switched over to harmonica for a blast of the blues during the band’s now classic “Heart of Steel”.
Raines was given a spotlight during an Eastern-sounding funk jam, where he put on a scintillating clinic of psychedelic wah-wah slide guitar. Another highlight occurred when Falls and the horn players left the stage, leaving the core four of Moore, Mercurio, Raines, and Vogel to jam some old school quartet style funk a la the Meters that hit the spot just right. Falls returned to lead the band on a smoking rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady” that threatened to blow up the room with the energy the band was putting out from the stage. It was one of those perfect cover choices that the band flat out owned.
Whether it was fiery instrumental jams, classic rhythm and blues covers or their own brand of funky original anthems, Galactic delivered across the board as they always do. The show’s only flaw was the 90-minute set length, prompting some fans to give serious consideration to trekking up to San Francisco for the weekend shows at the Fillmore. San Diego might never get Galactic on a weekend at this rate, but any chance to get a taste of one of New Orleans’ best sonic flavors is one to be savored.