LIVE: REBIRTH BRASS BAND – January 15, 2018
Venue: Otus Supply
City: Detroit, MI
Date: January 15, 2018
Review and Photographs by: Kevin Alfredo
This past Monday, a New Orleans second line style party erupted at Ferndale’s Otus Supply as Rebirth Brass Band lead their fans through two hours of some serious Crescent City inspired hip-hop and funk. Rebirth Brass Band has been a New Orleans musical institution dating back to 1983, and has gained national notoriety in 2012, winning a Grammy for Best Regional Roots Music with their album “Rebirth of New Orleans”. This is their second visit to the Detroit area, with this visit celebrating Otus Supply Parliament Room’s first anniversary and riding on the coattails of their 2014 release “Move Your Body”.
As the band moved through their catalog of favorites, call outs to the crowd and bellowing brass sounds filled the air of the sold out, packed-like-sardines venue. The group’s founders, Philip (tuba) and Keith (bass drum) Frazier provided the backbone to music that could only lead to you marching in place. Combine that with the talents of six additional brass and snare drum extraordinaires, a sound erupted that was so genuine, you could close your eyes and transport yourself to the Maple Leaf bar on a Tuesday night (a long standing engagement that RBB plays in their home town). Then you realize that its below freezing outside, you’re holding a fancy cocktail glass instead of a Solo cup, and there isn’t a Po-Boy to grab from the local food truck on the way home. Oh well, imagination will take you as far as your mind allows!
In closing, it’s great to see New Orleans based acts making the trek up to Detroit in recent years. Repeat visitors have included Galactic, Trombone Shorty, and more recently, Anders Osborne. In the Motor City, there is a true love for the styling of these musicians, and hopefully it is a trend that will continue to grow. I mean, come on, any city that has its own second line inspired party, which takes place in the middle of March (Marche Du Nain Rouge), definitely dotes on the traditions of New Orleans.
REBIRTH BRASS BAND LINKS:
Some other stuff you might dig
Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries