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Live Review of ALBINO! afrobeat at the Independent by theowlmag.com

1 rating since posting on Tuesday, February 7, 2006

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Albino!'s unrelenting music is anything but expected; one thing you can count on is a wildly fun.."
Albino! @ the Independent 1/28/2006

This Afrobeat band deserves the exclamation point following their name: they are not just Albino, but Albino!. Everything that they do and play is exaggerated, energized, and enthusiastic, deserving of said exclamation point. From dress to dance (and please, lets not forget the music) Albino! is on fire. The twelve piece band puts on one helluva good show that you can count on for some serious fun.

They deck themselves out in face paint, dots and lines highlighting the eyes, cheek bones and nose, clothes of tribal prints, animal prints, long robes and furry hats, be feathered hats, stovepipe hats, anything a little off kilter and wild. Some of the very mixed crowd was ready for these costumes: some came in furry hats of their own, carried umbrellas or were otherwise clad in animal print.

Drawing on the musical lineage of hard grooving Fela Kuti and his Africa 70 band, Albino! cuts deep grooves with their layered music of progressively insistent instruments. The six thick horn section gave the night a bold, driving sound while the guitars kept Albino! earthy.

They began the night playing together, until the singer, Michael Bello, stepped aside to allow the percussion/dance section to move to center stage. Playing on shekire (a dried out gourd with a netting of beads encasing it), Kim Agnu and Kwasi danced a wild combination of West African, Samba and Cuban salsa, playing off one another’s movements. They grinned the whole time they danced, their fierce dance moves and obvious joy energized the crowd.

Following their highlight, the entire band crouched low while Nathan Endsley played on the didgeridoo. Amazingly, as one instrument after another was highlighted, the raw energy of The Independent only built up, until it erupted in a crescendo of delight with "Are we Safe Yet?," their final piece.

Albino!'s unrelenting music is anything but expected; the one thing you can count on is a wildly fun night that you never want to end.

- Michelle M. Wallace - N-Dive , posted 02/07/06

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