Review: Rebelution
Photo and Review by McLane Brown
June 18, 2017
Rebelution had a homecoming of sorts June 18 as they played at the Santa Barbara Bowl, not too far from where the band formed in the college town of Isla Vista. This stop on their Good Vibes Summer Tour 2017 was supported by Collie Buddz, Hirie and DJ Mackle who–along with the breeze off the ocean–brought the summer air up into the hills around downtown Santa Barbara.
Hirie welcomed everyone with her positivity and prepped everyone for plenty to come as she danced across the stage in her white dress and sang her melodies backed up by a talented group of musicians on all sorts of instruments. The mix of the different groups with DJ Mackle playing in between ramped up the crowd and kept them in the mood throughout the night along with a live painting done to the side in bright neon colors.
As he handed the mic over to a women named CJ from the audience for the third verse of a song, Colin Harper–stage name Collie Buddz–confessed, “I’m afraid to give you the mic right now but we’re going to do this.” Everyone responded well as she belted the lyrics out and it was clear to see she was enjoying herself, though Collie had security take her phone when she tried to take a video. It was all in good spirit though as they got the video for her and she could focus on singing.
Once the sun had settled behind the hills, the stage lighting matched the black lit painting as Rebelution came on among plumes of smoke from the fog machines. The sax and trumpet traded solos, not competing, but building and resolving together so that it felt like one continuous line. In a similar way, one song flowed to the next as they kept the rhythms going, the crowd on their feet and the sax singing out through the air. Mid song, Eric Rachmany called out, “Santa Barbara, I have a question: Is this the kind of sound you wanted here?” It was clear to see from their response that yes, this was what everyone wanted and they loved it.
Rebelution had a homecoming of sorts June 18 as they played at the Santa Barbara Bowl, not too far from where the band formed in the college town of Isla Vista. This stop on their Good Vibes Summer Tour 2017 was supported by Collie Buddz, Hirie and DJ Mackle who–along with the breeze off the ocean–brought the summer air up into the hills around downtown Santa Barbara.
Hirie welcomed everyone with her positivity and prepped everyone for plenty to come as she danced across the stage in her white dress and sang her melodies backed up by a talented group of musicians on all sorts of instruments. The mix of the different groups with DJ Mackle playing in between ramped up the crowd and kept them in the mood throughout the night along with a live painting done to the side in bright neon colors.
As he handed the mic over to a women named CJ from the audience for the third verse of a song, Colin Harper–stage name Collie Buddz–confessed, “I’m afraid to give you the mic right now but we’re going to do this.” Everyone responded well as she belted the lyrics out and it was clear to see she was enjoying herself, though Collie had security take her phone when she tried to take a video. It was all in good spirit though as they got the video for her and she could focus on singing.
Once the sun had settled behind the hills, the stage lighting matched the black lit painting as Rebelution came on among plumes of smoke from the fog machines. The sax and trumpet traded solos, not competing, but building and resolving together so that it felt like one continuous line. In a similar way, one song flowed to the next as they kept the rhythms going, the crowd on their feet and the sax singing out through the air. Mid song, Eric Rachmany called out, “Santa Barbara, I have a question: Is this the kind of sound you wanted here?” It was clear to see from their response that yes, this was what everyone wanted and they loved it.