Michael Franti and Spearhead
Both bring good music and messages to the Union
Elizabeth Delaquess
Issue date: 10/7/09 Section: Entertainment
On Sunday Sept. 27, Michael Franti and Spearhead brought their upbeat, genre-crossing music with a message to the Wisconsin Union Theater, putting on an energetic show for an equally enthusiastic crowd.
Franti has been tackling social justice issues and promoting peace and non-violence through music since the mid-1980's, beginning with hip hop groups The Beatnigs and The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. He formed his current group, Spearhead, in 1994. Since then, he and the band have toured nationwide and around the world performing their wonderfully danceable music that combines rock, reggae and hip-hop styles. Franti and the band, which includes Carl Young on bass, Manas Itiene on drums, Raleigh J. "Zig Zag" Neal on keyboards and Dave Shul on guitar, have a respectable following in Madison and surrounding areas, judging by the large enthusiastic crowd gathered in the Union Theater.
Franti and Spearhead's energetic music was well matched by the eager crowd, and by the time Franti and the band danced on with the rousing "Everybody On a Move," a hundred or so people had gathered eagerly at the foot of the stage, wound up and ready to go after opening act Trevor Hall, a young reggae/pop singer, had gotten the audience warmed up.
Franti and the band seemed buoyed by the happy, receptive audience as people all over the theater were dancing, clapping and singing along to Spearhead hits like "Yell Fire" and "Time to go Home."
Franti's energy and big heart were more than enough to lift the crowd's spirits to fever pitch with fast, bouncy songs like "Hello Bonjour," as well as slower songs like "I Got Love For You" to keep dancing audience members like me from getting exhausted.
The band finished the concert with Spearhead's first Top 40 hit, "Say Hey (I Love You)," where Franti invited little kids to come onstage and dance.
Although Spearhead's albums are fantastic, the passion and energy of the band's music was more palpable at the concert than on the recordings. By the end of the night almost everyone in the theater was on their feet dancing and singing along with the band; caught up in the spirit and optimism of Franti's music.
I've always believed in the peace and tolerance that Franti and Spearhead sing about on their recordings, but the live concert with Franti and the band's smiling faces gave the music extra heart, and the happy, receptive audience made me think that the peace Franti sings about really is possible. Or maybe it was just those little kids onstage with the big smiles on their faces.
Franti has been tackling social justice issues and promoting peace and non-violence through music since the mid-1980's, beginning with hip hop groups The Beatnigs and The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. He formed his current group, Spearhead, in 1994. Since then, he and the band have toured nationwide and around the world performing their wonderfully danceable music that combines rock, reggae and hip-hop styles. Franti and the band, which includes Carl Young on bass, Manas Itiene on drums, Raleigh J. "Zig Zag" Neal on keyboards and Dave Shul on guitar, have a respectable following in Madison and surrounding areas, judging by the large enthusiastic crowd gathered in the Union Theater.
Franti and Spearhead's energetic music was well matched by the eager crowd, and by the time Franti and the band danced on with the rousing "Everybody On a Move," a hundred or so people had gathered eagerly at the foot of the stage, wound up and ready to go after opening act Trevor Hall, a young reggae/pop singer, had gotten the audience warmed up.
Franti and the band seemed buoyed by the happy, receptive audience as people all over the theater were dancing, clapping and singing along to Spearhead hits like "Yell Fire" and "Time to go Home."
Franti's energy and big heart were more than enough to lift the crowd's spirits to fever pitch with fast, bouncy songs like "Hello Bonjour," as well as slower songs like "I Got Love For You" to keep dancing audience members like me from getting exhausted.
The band finished the concert with Spearhead's first Top 40 hit, "Say Hey (I Love You)," where Franti invited little kids to come onstage and dance.
Although Spearhead's albums are fantastic, the passion and energy of the band's music was more palpable at the concert than on the recordings. By the end of the night almost everyone in the theater was on their feet dancing and singing along with the band; caught up in the spirit and optimism of Franti's music.
I've always believed in the peace and tolerance that Franti and Spearhead sing about on their recordings, but the live concert with Franti and the band's smiling faces gave the music extra heart, and the happy, receptive audience made me think that the peace Franti sings about really is possible. Or maybe it was just those little kids onstage with the big smiles on their faces.
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