A group of extremely talented musicians beloved by jam band heads and electronic lovers alike, STS9 has been blurring the line between instrument and electronic for the better part of 15 years. Comprised of Hunter Brown (Guitar/Keys), Alana Rocklin (Bass), Jeffree Lerner (Percussion), David Phipps (Keyboard) and Zach Velmer (Drums), this group of five is in the middle of a cross country tour with big name artists like Break Science, Emancipator Ensemble and more. Lucky for us, last Thursday marked the long awaited touch down in Philadelphia at the sparkling new venue, The Fillmore.
As someone who’s been to practically all the venues Philly has to offer, The Fillmore has quickly become the crown jewel of the city. A huge warehouse with plenty of room to move around and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, this proved to be the ideal spot to catch a live group like Sound Tribe. With The New Deal serving the role as opener and playing to a packed house, everyone in attendance was getting down to the trio’s funky live sound. As the end of their set neared though, you can feel how eager the crowd was for Tribe’s impending three hour jam.
Wasting no time and ripping through tracks like “Blu Mood”, “Love My Peeps” and “F. Word”, STS9 was giving back just as much energy as they were receiving from the wild crowd. Whether it was Alana and her stoic-yet-big-time stage presence, or Jeffree going off on some of the best bongo solos you can ever hope for, there was never a dull second to the set.
After a well earned thirty minute set break, the tribe was back at it with a second set even bigger than the first. Playing out gems like “Golden Gate”, “Grow” and ending it all with arguably their most well known track “When The Dust Settles”, we were left speechless at what transpired over the 180 minute set. The diehard crowd filled out of the venue wide eyed and buzzing over what they just witnessed, and the genuine excitement could truly be felt.
There was a special feeling with the way the Philly crowd received STS9. Multiple times throughout the night any one of the members would grab the mic and compliment the loving audience, telling the attendees just how much their warm welcome means to the band. It’s no secret that Philadelphia has a love affair with Sound Tribe, and it will only be a matter of time until they touch down again, hopefully in the exact same spot.
If you aren’t lucky enough to catch them on tour, be sure to tune into their social media. Each night STS9 provides a live stream of the show, allowing you to never miss a second.
(photo credit: Mulvey-Hudson)
Connect with STS9
https://www.facebook.com/sts9
https://soundcloud.com/sts9
https://twitter.com/STS9
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