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Aug. 31, 2006
If I could win a bet by sitting still at a Mystic Roots Band concert, I wouldn't even try. The contagious rhythm at the band's show Wednesday night in the Bell Memorial Union Auditorium got wallflowers to sway and those in chairs to tap their feet. Several other less hesitant men and women were out of breath from dancing.
The band's hip-hop reggae beats delighted its hometown crowd on the first stop of its West Coast tour which will include shows in Hawaii, Oregon and a finale Oct. 5 at Solana Beach in celebration of Pato Banton's birthday.
Some audience members remember MRB's humble beginnings at bars and house parties in downtown Chico 10 years ago. Senior Hailey Hurley became a fan of the band at a party the band played at last year.
"They're really down to earth," Hurley said of the band, which she also said is more personable in a more intimate setting.
The members are proud of their Chico roots and enjoy staying connected to the community. They offered to play at local house parties provided the band could make it. MRB also connected with the crowd in a song about local cops trying to confiscate students' marijuana.
The group's songs included a wide variety of styles and tempos, which was a refreshing follow up to the opening band Dread Daze's recycled lyrics and repetitive sound.
The show stayed edgy as the songs alternated between a smooth flow with slower lyrics and a kicked up, more energetic hip-hop rhythm. Lead singer Coot Wyman, or cootdog, created much of this energy with his fast-paced rap solos.
The talented contributions of saxophone player Shane "Storm" Baird, vocalist and keyboardist Shayne Tolchin, guitarists Carlos Martin Jr. and Darren "D-rock" Bruestle, and drummer Tony Saenz made MRB's music a crowd-pleasing combination.
Banton, who is headlining the tour, sweetened the recipe in the second set with his own songs backed by the Mystic Roots Band, which is Banton's official band as of this year. Banton easily shared the spotlight with the six other band members.
The chemistry between the artists was obvious as they applauded each other's solos and had fun on stage.
One song became a game of freeze frame and the group became statues every time the drums stopped. Saenz took the game a little farther to position Banton and the band into an ideal group photo opportunity while they played the part of moveable mannequins.
With a near 20-year history of recording and performing his music, Banton had a big repertoire of songs to choose from and took several requests from the crowd. The themes of his songs ranged from peace and unity, to perseverance through struggle, to marijuana legalization.
The crowd was especially enthusiastic about Banton's rendition of Bob Marley's "Jammin'" which he played as a tribute to the reggae legend.
Although the energy was high, the crowd of about 300 students, alumni and locals left a lot of empty space in the large auditorium.
Associated Students Presents Assistant Coordinator Emily Woodall said she was a little disappointed with the turnout and would have liked to see more people come out to the show, but that she was glad to see students enjoying it.
"People are having fun and that's what really matters," Woodall said.
As the show wrapped up, MRB assured the audience that the good vibes would continue with a Friday night show at LaSalles. The show will not include Banton, but headlining a show in a venue that was part of the band's eventual claim to fame shouldn't be too much of a setback.
Kari Nelson can be reached at knelson@theorion.com
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