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The Big Easy gets ‘Slightly Stoopid’
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Every generation has its rebellions and its own music to help it express that rebellion. The generation gap was in full bloom Friday night at the Big Easy. For two old hippies, it was an eye-opening, if not an ear-opening, experience.
Originally from Orange County, Calif., Slightly Stoopid, a high-powered, mix of pop-reggae-science fiction-60’s psychedelic (in other words a miasma of sound), has been touring the country for about thirteen years. But, unlike other “now generation” bands, their music was semi-entertaining, even for old geezers.
Before the music began, several fans of the group indicated that Simply Stoopid has a cult following wherever they go. Fans were using camera phones during the concert, holding them up and recording.
The warm up band, The Supervillians, contained the same extremely fast “hammering it out” style, only it was faster in some places (believe it or not) and slower in other places (thank goodness). It was a good intro for the main feature.
They enjoyed what they were doing, the crowd enjoyed what they were hearing and that was the whole point of the evening.
The six band members of Slightly Stoopid would switch instruments between sets, bass player with lead guitar, saxophone to keyboards and bongo drummer to other specialty sound effects. The light “show,” to use the term lightly, seemed like more of a distraction than an enhancement, with the occasional spotlight or four focused on the people in the balcony instead of on the group. But the stationary colored lights from behind the stage gave their heads a creepy glow from time to time. All this was in harmony with the unique music they played.
However, movable lights and a phantasmagorical display would have been more suited to the music.
The number of people that can squeeze onto the main floor of the Big Easy is impressive for someone who has never been there before. Sitting above them on the balcony, and watching the swaying, arm waving, body-passing crowd jumping below was as much fun as watching the performance onstage.
It wasn’t Woodstock, but then again it wasn’t meant to be. For someone who didn’t know what to expect, it was a surprise. It was an exhilarating experience (no one yawned once) and while the crowd seemed to be enjoying it, there was a “what the heck are you doing here” look on some of their faces as two old hippies tried to find the exit. So, when Slightly Stoopid comes to town the next time, if you aren’t a baby boomer, you would probably find it worth the effort to catch this “fast train to funville.” And if you are a baby boomer, don’t say you weren’t warned.
BY KERMIT HALE AND SAM ROBINSON
Culture Writer