Make fun of the jam-band idiom if you must, but those folks
have superior taste in music.
It's crafted organically, executed professionally, and the concertgoers exude more enthusiasm
than you'll find anywhere in the mainstream.
New York's Assembly of Dust proved itself a shining example (yet again)
on its most recent visit to Boston on Friday night, playing the first of three nearly
sold-out New Year's gigs at Paradise.
Frontman Reid Genauer's tightly enunciated vocals provided a foundation of earthbound wisdom.
When mixed with the Motown-funky tones of John Leccese's bass, Nate Wilson’s organ and Andy
Herrick's drumming, Fridays two-set marathon found AOD in top form. Kicking off with Valhalla,
they sailed through a hodgepodge of old favorites, Love Junkie, Paul Henry,
Burned Down mixed with an oddball trove of covers: the Zeppelin B-side, Hey, Hey What Can I Do?,
Van Morrison's Caravan and James Brown I Feel Good. Acoustic soul troubadour Martin Sexton joined
them for the stroll down memory lane, providing his own Black Sheep as a
launching pad for Deadric Malone and Joseph Scott, Turn on Your Love Light
made famous by the Grateful Dead. Lead guitarist Adam Terrell's improvisational playing
was fluid and spot-on.
Peter Prince's Moon Boot Lover project had early birds cutting the rug in style with
its irresistible rock and soul showdown. The bottom-end-heavy thump provided hip-hijacking grooves,
leaving Prince to dance his fuzz guitar and white-soul bark over the top with uncommonly good results.
HERALD