Thievery Corporation kick off their tour at the House of Blues

by Martin Gutierrez
2018-10-30

Thievery Corporation kick off their tour at the House of Blues

Thievery Corporation

October 9, 2018 @ The House of Blues

October 9, 2018 will always be remembered as a day of “firsts.” It was my first time in the glorious House of Blues in Boston, and my first time experiencing the exhilarating music of Thievery Corporation live. At the same time, it was also the first stop of their Treasures from the Temple tour. What an honor it was to have been involved in such a mythical and powerful night where music was the main source of happiness for every single soul present.

The venue was filled three quarters of the way with a particularly older crowd that shared a sense of joy that was almost palpable. But this collective excitement went numb when one of the various vocalists of the band, Bostonian Mr. Lif came to the front of the stage and shared the sad news that Julian Marley, meant to open the night, would not be able to perform due to a family emergency, and he instructed the crowd to focus all their energy and good vibes into his well-being.

Minutes later, Rob Garza, one of the founding members of the multi-genre duo, appeared on stage with his band members and the thrill erupted once more. They kicked off with the instrumental piece ‘The Forgotten People’ with such magnificence that the crowd’s reaction was immediate. Everyone in the floor and mezzanine levels of the venue were dancing at their own pace but to the same groove.

The depth displayed in their performance was one of a kind. They brought five vocalists with them, and each one displayed their own unique style through the coalition of electronica with Jamaican, Arabian, Brazilian and Indian sounds, all of which characterize the music of Thievery Corporation. One by one, each singer took over the stage, demonstrating their abilities while backed by a group of incredible musicians. The old-roots-reggae singer Raquel Jones set the bar high with her energetic grace on ‘Letter to the Editor.’ Mr. Lif gave credence of his title of real MC when the band performed ‘Ghetto Matrix.’ He involved the crowd with countdowns and special mentions, adding just more fuel to the fire of excitement burning at the House of Blues. Originally from St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, the talented Puma created one of the highlights of the night when the hit ‘Amerimacka’ was brought to life with his vocal performance. Born in Argentina, singer Natalia Clavier made an incredible impression as well. She hypnotized the crowd during her performance of ‘Until The Morning’ with her gentle dancing and singing while soft-colored lights enclosed her silhouette in an almost ritualistic manner. It was a moment that everyone seemed to enjoy.

Regardless of all these tremendously talented vocalists, it is essential to highlight the vintage, angelic voice of LouLou Ghelichkhani. For me, her voice is one of the main reasons why Thievery Corporation’s music is so powerful. She made part of the performance of ‘La Force de Melodie’ from their latest album Treasures from the Temple which added a very special freshness and elegance to the overall vibe of the show. Most importantly, she gave her all while performing ‘Sweet Tides,’ one of their biggest hits, which resonated beautifully throughout the venue during the encore.

It was incredible to get to see how the music that is originally created by two genius minds gets displayed live with an impressive line-up of musicians. Rob Garza leaded the whole show behind decks accompanied by Rob Myers (guitar/sitar), Hash (bass), Jeff Franca (drums) and Frank Orrall (percussion). It really was impressive to experience a show that featured so many different, talented performers.