I saw Lotus for the first time at the Town Ballroom last night, and suffice it to say that the five-piece jam-funk-electro outfit has a new fan.
The Philadelphia-based band had the Ballroom rocking last night, and if it wasn't sold out, it was very close. Between the funky vibes coming from the band and the impressive light show that accompanies the music, it was a truly energetic dance party, and at the conclusion of each piece, the crowd roared in approval.
At first appearance, Lotus looks like your standard jam band - drummer, percussionist, bass player, keyboardist, and guitarist. But what sets them apart is their versatility. For about half the songs, the bass player switched to a sampler, which he used to handle the low-end with dubstep-like bass wobbles and fire off live samples like a hip hop producer. Additionally, the keyboardist jumped on the guitar for a large portion of the set, allowing the band to go from Disco Biscuits/STS9 mode to moe./Umphrey's McGee mode in mere seconds. The result: an electronic-sounding live band that plays like an old-school jam band. Jams would seemingly hit a peak, only for the rhythm section to kick it up another notch that the crowd didn't think was there as the guitar player opened up his entire can of tricks.
The main guitarist, Mike Rempel, was my personal favorite aspect of the band. The band's smooth sound doesn't require him to dial up a very heavy, overdriven tone; instead, he opts for a warm, clean sound reminiscent of jazz great Wes Montgomery. And throughout Lotus's set - even when the jams reached their frenetic peaks - Rempel seemed cooler than the other side of the pillow, calmly observing the wildness of the crowd and looking like he could have been making a ham sandwich as he played.
Set opener "Harps," off the band's new self-titled album, showed off the best of Lotus's electronic side, with its driving rhythms and catchy synth/guitar hooks. But in my opinion, the band is much better when Jesse Miller chooses the bass guitar over his sampler (maybe I'm biased because I'm a bassist, but the band's sound comes off as much more organic when he's playing bass). "Suitcases and Sandwiches" seems the quintessential Lotus song for a newcomer like me - sensual and pulsating, with those Montgomery-esque guitar riffs that seem almost humorous with their nonchalance, repetition, and in-the-pocket grooviness.
By the time Lotus came back out and treated the crowd to a huge three-song encore, it was clear that they can no longer be considered "up-and-coming," though they still indeed may be rising. It's official: file Lotus under "arrived."
