STS9 & Lotus at the Bank of America Pavilion

STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector Nine) and Lotus played the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston, MA this past Friday the 13th with openers The Album Leaf. In addition to the performance, livenation ironically held a special on their Boston and Philadelphia dates; Tickets were available for only ten dollars for the BOA show, and twenty dollars for the Philadelphia show. Known to many on the circuit, STS9 has been playing since the late nineties, persisting as some of the true pioneers of live electronica. Founders of their own 1320 Records (home to such names as Pretty Lights, Big Gigantic, Pnuma Trio, Eskmo, and Telepath), they are incredible producers, praised for both studio works and live performance alike. Supporting co-headliners, Lotus, have earned a formidable reputation for their live act. The release of the album Hammerstrike in 2008 sparked an exponential rise in their popularity, giving them top billing spots across the nation and high place in the electronic jam hierarchy.

The Bank of America Pavilion is quite a large and astounding venue. It’s located outdoors right next to the ocean, providing the most gratifying breeze to cool you off while you dance the night away. Multiple food vendors are on grounds as well as a full bar, but like most places it comes with a hefty price. Security there is minimal and they’re not too strict about seats, giving a very relaxed atmosphere to the experience.
Lotus had a substantial role in me going to this show. As “co-headliners, they were given an hour and a half set, full of furious breakdowns and stunning guitar work. The lead guitarist, Mike Rempel, is really what draws me to this band. His mix of jazz and percussive funk licks produces such an intricate style. The bands acoustic/electric percussionist, Chuck Morris (no joke kung-fu bongo player) is another core component in giving Lotus their sound. Unfortunately, he’s recently left the band for unsaid reasons. One of the key characteristics I love about this band is the rolling bongos and intermittent cow bell, something definitely missed in their Friday performance. After seeing the set though, they still previal almost entirely without him, giving a solid portrayal of their abilities. The setlist included a transitional jam of the hit Bellwhether and the climactic title song Hammerstrike .They ripped classics from Nomad like Livingston Storm and a powerful Spiritualize jam, and ended the set with the common closer Flower Sermon;living up to the reputation that proceeds them.

STS9 was the first LE band I ever got into, before I really even comprehended the scene as a whole and others artists among it. There tends to be a sort of controversy behind this band the last couple years. A lot of people among the Northeastern fanbase feel their live shows since 2007 lack the impressive qualities they were once notorious for in the past. The night before at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City they played an Axe the Cables set, an unplugged acoustic performance part of a new direction the band took in early January. The move to go acoustic is an extraordinarily bold display of musicianship but at the same time, a contributing cause for the deterrence of many of their fans. Seeing them a few times, from small bar environments like the Revolution Hall, to big outdoor venues like Camp Bisco, its true they haven’t brought a consistent intensity to the stage as they have before. After Lotus completed their set I was skeptical to see how STS9 would deliver theirs, but the performance proved to be quite impressive.

The whole vibe of the ensemble was different this time; a real stage presence could be felt. They were playing an upscale venue, newly equipped with full visualizer screens and moving lights (directed by returning technician Saxton Waller), and playing for a bigger audience than I thought they could bring in. Opening with a super-charged rendition of The Unquestionable Supremacy of Nature, the first ten seconds of the show really gave me insight to this bands live potential. Hunter Brown’s sensational guitar accompaniment through their instrumentals makes for the unmistakable epic feel of their music. Throughout the show I also had a great view of Zach Velmer, the band’s drummer, one of the single best percussionists I have had the pleasure of seeing live. They closed with What is Love?, and after enduring a ten minute wait and the roaring crowd, came back onstage to play a two part encore. Without a doubt it was the best Sound Tribe concert I’ve seen so far, nullifying any doubts I had about their performance.

The Bank of America was a very welcoming venue and I can’t wait to return there for the Disco Biscuits in September.