A large band and performance troupe rolled into one, March Fourth Marching Band gave new meaning to the idea of stage presence last night at the Crossroads. A full crowd of music lovers from Kansas City and Lawrence gathered in the warm night at the outdoor venue, already amped by the fact that this rare treat was completely free. The group of about twenty musicians and performers was visiting Kansas City for the first time, making a great first impression with an energetic, raunchy show that left the audience in awe.
Dumptruck Butterlips, the local rising star of varying genres and fantastic dance numbers, was the perfect opener for the stagecraft headliners. Their set kept the Crossroads in good spirits as the crowd gathered for the night
March Fourth Marching Band - known to fans as M4 - includes vigorous drummers and relentless horns, featuring bass and alto saxophones, trumpets and trombone. Electric guitars added a little extra sound to the otherwise traditional marching band. Performers strut across stage and through the crowd on stilts, ladies tickling crowd members with feathers and slapping high-fives. Fire and flag dancers spin and leap between the band members as they play fierce, fun pieces, back to back.
The music is essentially marching band fare turned wild. Jazzy choruses of collective horns, backed by rivetting drum beats, broken up by instrumental solos and vocal interludes keep the music from ever getting stale. A marching band has never sounded so entertaining and dynamic. The band's myspace offers a good account of the sound, but the live show is countless times more spectacular.
The performers that dance and show off wild stunts throughout the set captivate the audience with terrific feats. Stilt-walkers swing their legs out, climb over each other and carry dancers around their waists. Fire-swinging, flag-waving girls twirled around the musicians, leading the crowd to dance along to the music with them, sometimes descending into the mob to join their fans. Some dances match the music so well it feels like a music video movie come alive.
This unbelievabe show of musical prowess and theatrics was a fresh taste of something original and unique. The audience cheered and screamed for more throughout the set, and were rewarded with an encore to reflect the stunning stamina of the big band. Remembering that all of this was free makes it a pleasure of the highest calibre. If M4 came back to Kansas City, or Lawrence, they would most likely sell-out any venue they chose to play, so keep your eyes open for their return and don't miss the extravanganza!
Now for Previews:
Tonight, Old Crow Medicine Show is playing the Crossroads, this is a must-see for all bluegrass lovers, so be there for the hootenanny!
Tomorrow night, L5 will be playing at the Eighth St. Taproom with Nonreturner, Nash Smith and Ganges at 9 p.m.
L5 is this music-lovers' newest favorite local band. If you like old fashioned folk rock or new indie rock, this is the best of both worlds, check it out!
Saturday Dirtfoot will be at the Bottleneck, so come get your whiskey on and stomp along!
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