all photos: Ben Droz
all words: Svetlana
Last year, I saw Thievery Corporation live for the first time in my show going life and was blown away. I did not expect the energy, the joy, the everything.
Now, here we are, a year has passed, Thievery has added a 5th show to their already epic annual 930 Club takeover and things are…blissfully the same.
You can see within seconds why they’re one of the most in demand festival bands out there: the singers come out on a rotating scheme from the sweet comfort of Natalia Clavier to raucous sultriness of Karina (you know, the one everyone has a crush on) to the Caribbean camaraderie of Sleepy Wonder and See-I and EVERYONE In between, it is a joyous, fully satisfying ride with Rob and Eric at the controls. Sitars and guitars are interchangeable, girls WILL come onto the stage to dance during the final song, Rob will eventually play the guitar front and center-even for someone who has seen it before only once, it still felt oddly comfortable and comfortably predictable. No real surprises but for a band with no real surprises, it is great how much genuine joy is maintained in the performance.
Sure, we’re in the middle of a 5 night run-but we’re have so much fun.
You are still not bored for a second.
Trust me.
In fact, you are happy and relaxed and you have that feeling that somehow, by some odd chance you’re studying abroad for just one night this year and you’ve stumbled upon the coolest, most relaxed party in Madrid or Buenos Aires or you name your place where you want to be stumbling upon cool, relaxed parties, where people live paint to music and everyone sings along to songs in languages they don’t necessarily know, and you’re there.
It just changes your attitude.
You’re no longer tired and cranky, 930 Club is no longer ridiculously crowded, you’re not hitting people with your purse as you dance-all is good, the space is as wide as the sandiest beach in the world and these people MUST be your friends.
That’s how it feels.
Always a pleasure, ladies and gentlemen.
Now, for some major photo action from Ben:
graham, it’s really not that bad. i mean, i hate crowded shows more than any other human being on planet earth, but i don’t really have the claustrophobia/homicidal combo attacks at these
January 26, 2010 at 1:44 pmmaybe i’ve just had bad luck….
but i haven’t had fun at 9:30 in quite some time.
its too bad, cuz they bring a decent amount of shows i’d like to see. maybe i’ll give it another shot sometime.
Svetlana, did you ever interview Eric and Rob?
January 26, 2010 at 11:34 pmalso, some positive feedback…
you’ve really done DC a favor but starting BYT..
It’s like everything I look for all in one website.
Thanks girl ;)
they have done the same show for the past 10 years. the best time i saw them is when they played for free outdoors near the capital in january during w bush’s 1rst or 2nd state of the union speech. it was f’n cold.
January 27, 2010 at 1:20 amYea. I love me the Tievery. I do. 3 years ago I was living in Baltimore, and so my first time seeing Robert and his Corporation was at Merriweather with Manu Chao. I made a pact with my buddy to see them anytime they came ’round. Then on Saturday I had an experience that was lackluster. Tievery was massive but the crowd was, yes, so bro’ed out that I had trouble enjoying myself. I spent the night drinking beers by those doors in the way back near the merchandise table and trying to avoid the swinging dicks. The pact now has a no-9:30 clause in it.
January 27, 2010 at 3:47 amwe’ve interviewed rob before and there is a big rob+eric interview coming up tomorrow.
http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/music/thievery-corporation-redux-rob-garza-interview/
January 27, 2010 at 7:55 amThank you!
I can’t wait to read the next interview. Something about hometown success warms my heart. It’s good to know that creativity can start here and reach anywhere!
I TOTALLY agree…. did u guys get a chance to check out the new episode of Embedded on Current TV? it’s featuring both rob and eric.,.. check it out.!..
January 29, 2010 at 10:25 pmToo bad to hear all of the hipster hate for 930 and its fast developing fratboy-douchebag contingent. I personally think it’s still a great venue.
I think it’s more of a misdirected expression of disappointment over the fact that all of the Birkenstock bro’s from college got over OAR and are now getting in to TV on the Radio and what have you (probably because of the internet).
Believe me, whether Thievery played 930, Merriweather, or a top secret set at ESL, the frat kids would find out about it.
January 31, 2010 at 2:16 pmYes, the mainstreaming of indie is the issue, not the 9:30 Club, which for a large venue is an excellent place to see shows. Great sound, great lights, and a blacony. Also just be happy that more people are listening to better music.
January 31, 2010 at 2:53 pmNice photos ben
January 31, 2010 at 6:27 pm
if 9:30 wasn’t full of frat boys and douchebags i would have loved to check out one of their shows – i’m done with that place.
January 26, 2010 at 1:21 pm