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Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings show review at the Monolith Music Festival, September 14, 2008 at 5:45pm

September 25th, 2008 Posted by: Dust Devil

Hello everybody,

The next two reviews are for two shows that have made their way into my Top Ten all-time. No joke, this was the start of a phenomenal two-plus hours of music on the Esurance Main Stage. The opinion of the Dust Devil is this part of the Monolith Music Festival should have been at the very end, since we already know how I felt about Justice as a headliner. By the way, they still suck. That has not changed.

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings are a revitalist soul-revue out of Brooklyn, NY. Their music is a throwback to the late sixties and early seventies style of funk and soul. The Dap Kings are the house band for Daptone Records and have been session musicians for several other artists, including contributing to more than half of the 2006 disc from Amy Winehouse, Back to Black. The Dap Kings can flat out PLAY! I was so impressed with the musicianship of all the members of this band, particularly the three-piece horn section. To me, this is what music is all about, a group of people getting together to form one cohesive unit. It was such a joy to see and hear.

Now, a band that good needs a singer that can belt out the vocals with the same type of professionalism. Sharon Jones began her career singing gospel music as a child and built on that career entering talent contests until her big break came backing soul legend Lee Fields in 1996. This session was done with a band by the name of the Soul Providers, the band that eventually became the Dap Kings.

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings strode out on the Esurance Main Stage and it did not take the audience long at all to realize something special was happening onstage. One of the best characteristics of Monolith is the wide variety of genres represented onstage, and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings unleashed a set of stellar funk and soul that had everybody in the crowd on their feet, dancing, laughing and having a wonderful time.

Sharon Jones is a dynamic show-woman, delivering her vocals while dancing and strutting around the stage. She had the crowd eating out of the plam of her hand the entire set. Three consecutive songs she invited members of the crowd up to the stage to dance with her, which brought about one of the highlights of the festival. Anyone at Red Rocks that weekend will remember when a young man who referrred to himself as TRL was brought onstage and spent the duration of the song dancing with Sharon Jones, often times in a very seductive manner. Dressed in an extravagant outfit with a cape that said “Maid to Order” (no, I did spell Maid correctly!) on it, TRL brought the house down and Sharon Jones was the perfect complement to his antics, never wavering from her duties as the leader of this incredible band.

Hands down, the best show of the weekend! Combine music played that well by the Dap Kings, the amazing vocal stylings and showmanship of Sharon Jones, and an appreciative and energetic crowd, and you have one memorable show. Thank you and kudos to the Monolith Music Festival for bringing this classy act to the Main Stage where they belonged!

Whew! It has to be time to go back to the hotel by now, right? Nope, the second half of what should have closed this festival is up next!

Cheers,
The Dust Devil

Filed under: My Take, Event Reviews