A palpably expectant air hung about the throngs of people waiting to hear Rusted Root perform in Leede Arena last Saturday.
The six-person ensemble exceeded the crowd's already high expectations, performing a vital and rhythmic set that held the crowd's interest for the entire program.
In the crowd could be seen a sea of exuberant faces, cheering on the band as they performed their set. Also present were local residents and Hanover High School students, dressed in retro-hippie garb and swaying themselves to the music.
The opening act, "The Gathering Field," left a good deal to be desired.
Veteran concert-goers know that often times an up-and-coming opening act completely outshines the headlining act. This was not the case last Saturday.
"The Gathering Field's" tired open cord guitar progressions and insipid lyrics left a good deal to be desired.
In contrast, Rusted Root's performance was stellar. The band mostly played songs from their new album, "Remember," available this month on Mercury Records.
Songs from this album, although far from poor, lack some of the drive and intensity of the group's older material.
The audience ignited into a bacchanal frenzy of dancing when the group played older songs such as the crowd favorite "Ecstasy."
The band also played great tunes such as "Faith I Do Believe," "Tree!" and "Baby Will Roam."
Rusted Root's distinctive rhythmic sounds draws its followers.
The band consists of a percussionist as well as a drummer, who thumps out pounding African beats that compel listeners to dance without abandon.
In addition, the four non-percussionists play a wide variety of instruments, from flutes to violins to mandolins.
The group constantly experiments with new sounds and exotic instruments, lending to their eclectic although consistent sound.
Of course, the group's picking and choosing of musical instruments means that sometimes the songs themselves become embellished.
Band members seemed unable to keep from adding in their own superfluous and distracting sound effects in an otherwise haunting and melancholy acoustic guitar piece at the concert.
The erratic popping of bongos and shimmering of chimes robbed the tune of its simple beauty.
Most often, however, the group is firmly in control of the wide variety of instruments they play.
The solid, driving percussion anchors the band and gives its music its tangible power. Indeed, the stars of last Saturday were the percussionist and drummer.
These two invoked most powerfully the African and Jamaican spirit behind Rusted Root's music, fleshing out the aural experience with skill and earnestness.
Also notable were the band's two and even three-part vocal harmonies, a feat rarely attempted since the times of Crosby, Stills & Nash and the Beatles.
The complex vocal arraignments were refreshing and a welcome change from the ubiquitous vocal monologues that plague modern music.
Moreover, the band seemed honestly concerned with performing in a safe environment for their ardent fans.
Between songs, the lead singers addressed the crowd, urging them not to slam dance and crowd surf.
Rusted Root's music is far too relaxed for such antics. Although the crowd seemed mostly appreciative of the bands efforts to stop any testosterone-influenced shows of enthusiasm, the singers' addresses to the crowd at times became commands rather than pleas.
This rankled more than a few concert-goers.
In addition to this, the sound quality throughout the performance was simply dreadful. But the blame for this lies not on Rusted Root's sound technicians.
Unfortunately, the setting of the concert was simply not conducive to acoustics.
The noise from the speakers was all but lost in the high, twisted metal infrastructure of the ceiling and the unabsorbant cinder-block walls of the volleyball courts.
The massive amount of bass issuing from the sound system overloaded the space, making the effect mushy and indistinct.
Nonetheless, the concert was an unqualified success.
Rusted Root and the Programming Board were able to put on a powerful, captivating and energetic show.
Press tickets provided courtesy of the Programming Board.
