I shamefully admit that tUnE-yArDs set at Firefly this year was my first time catching the wondrous Merrill Garbus live. Now after witnessing how brilliant and wonderful she and her band are live, I’m mad that it took me this long to see her (although I did catch the tail end of her set at Bonnaroo in 2011).
To be quite frank, there’s no one else creating the sounds that Garbus is as tUnE-yArDs. Hearing it on record is one thing, but witnessing her creation of these songs live is another. On the spot she creates loops of sounds (whether its vocals or beats created through clapping,) and then loops it over until one another until she gets the full desired result. Then you add in her backing band – along with two dancers, and you get hit with a giant collection of sounds that are simply breathtaking.
From w h o k i l l classics such as “Bizness” and “Gangsta” to the more recent delights of Nikki Nack such as “Water Fountain” and “Wait For A Minute” there wasn’t a moment where Garbus wasn’t both wowing you, and making you wonder how the hell she came up with these sounds – and how she is able to recreate it live. It’s just something you have to see to believe.
I don’t think I truly appreciated tUnE-yArDs in this fashion until I saw her live. If she’s playing a show near you anytime soon, I beg you to go.
1. Sink-O
2. Hey Life
3. Gangsta
4. Real Thing
5. Powa
6. Time of Dark
7. Wait for a Minute
8. Stop That Man
9. Bizness
10. Water Fountain
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