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EUR CONCERT REVIEW: Floetry and Goapele deliver at the House of Blues on LA's Sunset Strip
Goapele opened the show and did her native bay area proud, hauntingly singing songs from her two commercially released albums (Even Closer and Change it All), including the neo-classic "Closer to my Dreams." Sony execs got wind of her massive local appeal and signed her with high hopes of taking her mainstream, but she has in no way lost that hometown sound that initially got her noticed. She actually used it to her advantage to connect with the west coast HOB audience and was successful at setting the mood right for Floetry to come takeover and seduce their eagerly awaiting devotees into ear ecstasy.
Floetry walked out (with a noticeably svelte Marsha) to an already erupting crowd; the show was theirs to bomb. But of course they didn't. they held it down. Marsha's effortlessly delivered 5-octave voice (and if it isn't, she sure has me fooled) was hypnotic and is one of the best right now in the industry. We even hear that it's garnered her a solo deal - and justifiably so. In the mean time, though, she and her sexy spoken word cohort, Natalie Stewart, totally commanded the stage and created a vibe that had everybody "in the mood." The singing was right, the band was tight, and the spoken word was both seductive and provocative. They were real good to us that night, and they profusely expressed their gratitude for the warm - and lasting - reception that America has shown them.
Even though both acts performed many of the songs from their acclaimed albums, they switched it up a bit. They stuck their biggest hits mid-set versus saving them for the end, and the crowd's energy never flickered. That's some indication of the quality of the music that they have in their repertoires.
Floetry and Goapele approach music with organic artistry and depth that massages the mind as well as tickles the ear, which made for a very compelling live experience. They have solid (and growing) fan bases, evidenced by the packed venue and seeing the majority of the concertgoers completing entire verses of their songs without their guidance. The ladies gave their fans what they came for; as there wasn't a still set of hips in the place. We were certainly satisfied.
