Sounds Good: Rebelution @ Liberty Hall, Zola Jesus @ the Granada

After Coachella did their big reveal last week – which included local darlings, Radkey (!) – Wakarusa got in on the act.  But Waka didn’t roll out its entire lineup, just a little taste.

The biggest name so far has got to be The Roots, which are listed on Waka’s website as the fourth “biggest” headliner for the whole shebang.  Some of the other included bigger names were pretty predictable.  For example, Sound Tribe Sector 9 (“STS9”) is back this year.  They’ve been on the bill 8 out of the 12 years of the fest’s existence.  Ozamatli is another band that was announced, and another one that seems like a been-there-done-that type thing.  Same with Galactic.

To be fair, only about a third of the bands have been announced so far, so the biggest headliners are yet to come.  Is this the year Waka takes a big swing and somehow gets Phish?  Or would that be too much glitter and organic, hand-woven hammocks for Mulberry Mountain to handle?

In the meantime, get back in the game, get off the couch and go see the bands I tell you to.

Wednesday, January 14th

Rebelution at Liberty Hall in Lawrence

These guys do the Cali-white-boy-reggae thing better than pretty much anyone else out there right now.  And one of the reasons is probably because they are relentless, road-hardened veterans, playing over 150 shows per year for the better part of the past decade.  Plus about every festival you’ve ever heard of.  Figures, since they’re all about the live experience, bringing horns and extra percussion on the road like any self-respecting reggae band would.  But if you’re not the irie type, you might want to skip this one.  And also you might want to think about where it all went wrong.

Zola Jesus at the Granada in Lawrence

Competing Wednesday night shows in Lawrence, that’s a bit odd.  But that’s the jam.  Ms. Jesus a/k/a Nika Danilova blends her powerful voice with pounding electronica beats and atmospheric soundscapes.  And if you need more evidence (other than me including this show in my picks, duh) of just how hip she is right now, consider that her two, late-January shows in Brooklyn are already sold out.  Take that, squares!

Lindsey Rhoades of The Village Voice recently reviewed her live show, and came away impressed:

“Vocally, Danilova’s performance has never been stronger, her delivery full-bodied and commanding, as though she was forcing her very soul out of her lungs and into the crowd. Her talent is unassailable and wholly hers; there’s not a performer that comes to mind easily whose voice has the same intense and robust qualities, with the exception, perhaps, of some Broadway performers. Danilova excels at building that same kind of drama, and her unflinching confidence in doing so extended into every aspect of the show…”