Words & Photos by Anthony Abu-Hanna
Branford’s New England Brewery hosted Lettuce, touring in support of their new album Cook, on a Thursday night. A chilling breeze off the waterfront tempered the day’s heat as the evening rolled in. The beers were flowing like a waterfall all evening, and spirits, among other things, were high.
Taking the stage to a packed house, with the brewery as their backdrop, Lettuce kicked off their show at a wonderful 6:30. The band wasted no time finding their groove, digging into a nearly 20-minute jam on Goldtooth. A different kind of cloud rolled in from the crowd as the stage lit ablaze with Adam Deitch’s staccato grooves punctuating a tight horn section and Adam “Shmeaans” Smirnoff’s noodling guitar. Since this show was part of their new album tour, it heavily featured Cook songs, rolling right into The Matador with an Afro-Cuban drum intro that got people’s feet boogieing. Ryan “Zoid” Zoidis and Eric “Benny” Bloom’s horn section made sure people knew they were there, ever-present, sprinkling magic throughout every song. Set one continued on a rhythmic odyssey that was focused, precise, and electric.
Set two, on the other hand, is where the band really began to let loose. They opened with Lettsanity, a song that could fit on any James Brown album. Deitch kicked off set two and set the tone: this was going to make you sweat. After an extended drum intro, the rest of the band filled in, starting with Shmeaans and Eric “Maverick” Coomes, before being rounded out by the rest of the group. The best thing about a Lettuce concert is you never know what you’re going to get, and neither does the band sometimes. As they ended the opener, Shmeaans remarked that what they’d just done was sick and hoped someone had recorded it.
Things got a bit spacey as the set rolled on. Grewt Up took the crowd to outer space with a droning, atmospheric jam that seemed to never end. Tight drums, wobbling bass, and horns accenting the rhythm section dictated how the song evolved and where in the solar system they were taking us. As space shuttle Lettuce returned to earth, they quickly took a turn with a cover of Earth, Wind & Fire’s Gratitude. Nigel Hall’s synth work took center stage here, keeping some of that space vibe going.
It’s a treat getting to see bands in your backyard. It’s an even better treat with some delicious graham cracker ice cream to cool down after the raucousness of the evening. But the band wasn’t going to send it off lightly. They ended the show with another cover, this time James Brown’s Make It Funky.
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