Concert review: Sound Tribe Sector 9 at Liberty Hall

Review and photos by Elgin Smith

I will admit that I felt a little out of place without some glow sticks at Tuesday’s Sound Tribe Sector 9 show in Lawrence. The group’s combination of electronica and jam-band styles attracts those who enjoy brandishing them, and last night’s audience was an interesting stoner-meets-raver experience, a mix of two types of people you might not think would have a whole lot in common. Judging by what I saw last night, however, they certainly do agree on Sound Tribe Sector 9.

With a sell-out crowd packed like sardines into Liberty Hall, STS9 opened the show with “Abcees.” The spacey, echo-heavy tones sounded good but not great. Having learned more about the group from friends and on the Web than by actually hearing their material, I wasn’t thrilled from the start. However, the grooves soon got a little more solid with “F Word”, and the crowd’s appreciation was obvious. After a couple selections that were on the more techno side of the band’s repertoire, the funk arrived with “Ramone & Emiglio.” This was the first time the band really impressed me, with guitar and bass lines interwoven from the get-go. Because every member of the band except the drummer comes equipped with his own laptop and midi keyboard (besides his regular instrument), I had to wonder if the band relied more on programming than live playing. This track definitely convinced me otherwise.