WOW!!!! WATCHA CLAN!!! World music that hits you where it counts--makes your whole body feel good and shake with positive energy, spirituality, and all the things that feel good in life. This was one of those really special shows---I knew it even before I got there. The Rickshaw Stop was the perfect place to catch this amazing band from France. Their music, which is a melting pot of world influences, with a North African, Mediterranean, French, tribal eclectic sound, kept the crowd uplifted and shaking straight from the core.The lead singer and focal point of the band was Sista K, who had beautiful multilingual vocals and an awesome,full-bodied energy. Her presence vibrated through the room and her singing and dancing kept the crowd alive. The other three highly talented members added more vocals, rhythms, bass,guitar, and electronic components that kept the music in a continuous swirl of nomadic dance and electronic beats mixed with wailing rock, fast paced bass, and bulleted drum machine sounds. I felt possessed in a trance and I never wanted to come out. I was captured by those heart thumping African harmonious vocals and deep beats, and then spun across the border to be lifted again in another time and place. It was impossible to be at this show and not be caught up in it, your whole body pulsing with every beat, elevated, uplifted, inspired, and at peace. This was nomadic music that took you around the world,and connected you to a sense of community and love the whole way through.Watcha Clan is world music that's purely addictive!  They will be back on tour in August 2009.  Check out their tour dates!

Opening the night up were local DJs Señor Oz and Pleasuremaker of Afrolicious playing with a percussionist and drummer. The foursome produced an excellent world music dance party sound filled with nonstop beats taking you across all borders from Africa on out. They were smiling, dancing, and having fun the whole time they played. These guys throw down the beats with a funky, disco, dance groove mixing all your favorite world musicians and keeping the party moving with that solid percussion and drum beats. With their exceptional cross-cultural grooves, these DJs would appeal to just about everybody. They're the kind of DJs you want at every party...they make you just wanna invite the whole community, feel good and DANCE! (Afrolicious is a Thursday night dance party hosted at the Elbo Room every week from 9pm-2am---a great place to go if you're lookin' to shake it all out of your system.)

-- Veena Ladoo