Words by Corinne Casella | Photos by Jeremy Gordon
On March 10th, White Eagle Hall attendees were treated to an eclectic mix of musical performances from Marco Benevento and Mike Dillon’s Punkadelic, two Royal Potato Family artists hosting a joint album release show at the Jersey City venue.
However, it was the women in their respective bands that took center stage. Powerhouses Nikki Glaspie on drums and Karina Rykman on bass, proved that not only can women rock, they can dominate. The night was punctuated with memorable solos and layered improvisational jams that kept the audience on their feet from the first song to the last.
Plugging the new record, Inflorescence, openers Mike Dillon & Punkadelick featuring Brian Haas & Nikki Glaspie produced a sound wholly unto themselves, invoking a gambit of influences including experimental jazz, afrobeat and punk. Lead by Dillon’s expertise on the vibraphone, the trio shook the stage with a sound much larger than its parts. Highlights of the set included Glaspie’s operatic vocals on ‘Never Been to Paris,’ and a unique take on The Stooges ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog.’ Dillon’s mash-up of hip-hop punk, alone was worth the price of admission.
Marco Benevento kicked off the first night of his nationwide tour, in support of his new album, Benevento. The multi-instrumentalist was joined on stage by Rykman and drummer Chris Corsico. While Corsico kept the beat, Benevento and Rykman created a back-and-forth musical chemistry that was almost palpable. Feeding off each other’s energy, the long-time collaborators created a mix of magic and mayhem, with an excitement that could be felt in every note. Standouts included an epic multi-song jam starting with ‘The Story of Fred Short,’ and ending with ‘Follow the Arrow.’ A perfect mix of solid craftmanship and psychedelic haze, as well as a stirring solo on the piano-driven cover of My Morning Jacket’s ‘Golden.’
Catch more of Marco Benevento on tour! See all dates here…
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TheWaster.com | New Jersey
3.12.23
