Michael Franti and Spearhead

“Those who start wars, never fight them. And those who fight wars, they never like them. And those who write laws, they can't recite them. And those of us who just fight laws, we live and die them.” -Michael Franti, from the song Time to Go Home, on the album Yell Fire!

I fell in love with the music of Michael Franti and Spearhead this past summer when I heard songs from their latest album Yell Fire! It is touted as an upbeat departure from a tone previously considered angry and cynical. I liken him to a reggae rendition of a Freewheelin' Bob Dylan—recall Masters of War. At the time, I also learned of his travels to the Middle East that inspired the album. His lyrics delve into matters that connect people touched by the present war.

At the concert, a mural hung corner to corner, covering the entire back wall of the stage. It depicted a version of the multi-armed Hindi deity Ganesh Purana, mixed with war and pop culture iconography. Its face was covered by a World War era gas mask, whose breathing tube was tucked through the top of a Budweiser beer can. The mural was also back-lit, and during the show it changed from vibrant greens and oranges to deep shades of purple. Army camouflage netting covered the synthesizer racks, drum stands, and other equipment on stage. At the end of each song a man ran across the stage with a different guitar to hand to Franti.

At one point, I thought I heard a faint voice reminiscent of a female singer during the song One Steop Closer to You, but I am pretty sure it was only a mind trick. On the album, Franti is beautifully accompanied during this song by the vocalist Alica Beth Moore, the artist known as Pink. Despite her not being there, it was still an excellent live performance.

During the song Everybody Ona Move, Franti jumped down from the stage and joined the crowd on the dance floor. In hindsight, perhaps I should have expected a wild crowd. Still, it was a shock to see people lighting up in the middle of the dance floor. At one point I almost tripped over an empty bottle of Crown Royal. I'm not judging, I'm just saying it was unexpected considering the venue.

Franti then gave a short talk on the past two elections, and suggested that cynicism is the worst way to lose an election. He said that we have to “be the difference.” In closing, they covered the song What I Got, by Sublime, as well part of the theme song from Sesame Street. Good times!