G. Love & Special Sauce
Showbox, Seattle, WA
01.30.15
On a Friday night in the heart of winter, G. Love & Special Sauce took the crowd at the Showbox back to dusty, lazy summers spent on porch steps. For 20 years, they’ve been showcasing their casual, upbeat soul jams around the globe, and they have yet to show any signs of slowing down. From album to tour, from tour to TV shows, they’ve sustained a modest presence in the music industry that few bands can relate to. Not surprisingly, their feel-good style is always in demand.
Straight out of the gate, G. Love came to bring it, mesmerizing the crowd as the first few notes reverberated from the walls. It didn’t take long for the crowd to go into full-on dance mode, as the energy bounced from stage to floor. G. Love & Special Sauce constantly interacted with one another, reflected in their sound as a tight, cohesive unit. Lead man Garrett Dutton also connected with the crowd, running to and fro and perching on the edge of the stage, in between rocking his guitar solos and showing off his enviable harmonica skills. The band was positioned in a straight line on stage, left to right, with Jim Prescott on bass, Dutton, and Jeffrey Clemens on drums. The Showbox emanated soulful sounds as the packed house grooved well into the night.
Fellow Brushfire Records artist Matt Costa opened the evening, accompanied by a friend playing light electric guitar. From Huntington Beach, Costa has been earnestly paving his own way for over a decade, having now released multiple full length albums as well as a few EP’s. He has toured with the likes of Jack Johnson, Modest Mouse, Oasis, Ryan Adams, and Death Cab for Cutie, to name a few. Check out his latest release, Matt Costa, and relax while you dig his folksy, indie rock sound.
Review by T. Monte
Photos by Alex Crick (www.crickontour.com)
G. Love & Special Sauce
Matt Costa
