Fat Freddy’s Drop Return To LA and Kick Out the (Extended) Jams at The Music Box

I never got in to the jam bands like The Grateful Dead or Phish like so many of my peers did when I was in high school and college. It’s not that I didn’t appreciate the immensely talented musicianship, but somehow those songs that could go on for nearly a half-hour were lost on me. That is until I heard the live stylings of the New Zealand progressive reggae and funk outfit Fat Freddy’s Drop a few years ago. Over the course of the last decade they’ve built much of their fan base on their legendary improv-heavy stage show and they recently played their biggest gig in LA thus far at The Music Box to a sold-out crowd.

“Generally people are quite blown away by the live experience,” explained MC Slave, one of the memorable cast of characters who make up the eight-piece group.

It’s a hard thing to put in a box as far as the sound and what you’re going to hear but the live experience takes what you’ve heard on the albums to another place and no two shows are ever the same!

After playing The Roxy last November in support of their sensational second studio album, Dr. Boondigga & The Big BW, the band were ready to rock the crowd at the much larger Henry Fonda Theater. With more space to spread out, Fat Freddy’s Drop seemed right at home and they treated those in attendance to a standout collection of songs from their two albums, which featured ample solo excursions from each member.

“It’s not just endless noodling. There are arrangements but within those there’s certainly a lot of space to jam and extend,” Slave explained. “If someone’s going off or Chopper’s (Scott Towers) rocking the baritone sax, you’ve just got to let it go.”

“People who come see the band now are used to the concept of the extended jams and sort of taking a version and twisting it on its head and coming out the other side. That’s all part of the Fat Freddy’s Drop experience.”

For the easygoing New Zealand band, each member shares a close friendship (and crazy nickname) that dates back a decade and their on-stage camaraderie is apparent as each member is allowed ample time to shine on each song. Lead singer Joe Dukie has the smooth and soulful vocal stylings of Marvin Gaye, while the three-piece brass section of trumpeter Tony Chang, the aforementioned Chopper Reedz and the trombone powers (and dance moves) of Ho Pepa enraptured the audience at every turn. Joined by Dobie Blaze on the keys, Jetlag Johnson on guitar and of course the master-producer DJ Fitchie firmly at the controls on the MPC, mixing and dubbing down each song from the stage.

While many of their selections carry the trademark sounds of reggae and dub music, such as standouts “The Raft” and “Pull The Catch,” there are also plenty of other genres to be found, such as the soul and dance music rhythms found on the pulsating “Shiverman.”

“We often get described as a reggae band, which is fine and it is part of the mix but it’s certainly not the be all and end all,” explained Slave of the band’s sound. “In fact, purist reggae acts wouldn’t see us in that way and nor do we really. But it’s certainly a big part of who we are and a big core of the music we play is the skank and the basslines.”

While the band’s motherland of New Zealand might not be thought of as a musical hotspot, the country is now cranking out some of the best in modern Reggae music, with acts like Freq Nasty, Trinity Roots, Pitch Black and Blue King Brown.

“I think we put our own twist on it, “ Slave explained. “We’ve got a wide-ranging bunch of styles. There’s all different sorts of reggae music that come out of the country and it’s really great.”

With such a strong reggae following in the City of Angels, it’s little wonder why the band’s shows here have been so well-received.

“To play in the heart of Hollywood is great for us,” Slave said. “For the band, it’s also exciting because any new place we go to is great. Plus, there’s that California and Los Angeles culture we’ve seen our whole lives in films and television, so to come here and be amongst it has been great.”

The audience appreciated the band’s energy and even though they only played a handful of songs, the many twists and turns each would take during its duration made it seem like many more.

A very key part to the longevity to the band has been the improvisation and the reinvention of songs. We like keeping things fresh for ourselves which rubs off on the audience. So it really works out well for everyone and we’re really proud of that fact.

If you couldn’t make it out to the show at the Music Box, fear not as the band have just released a brand new live album, Live At Roundhouse London, which features much of the music they played. While no two Fat Freddy’s Drop sets are ever the same, it serves as a memorable reminder that this is one jam band not to be missed.

Surf: Fat Freddy's Drop

Watch: Fat Freddy's Drop TV

Buy: Dr. Boondigga & The Big BW

Photos By: Smash LeFunk