Many musicians strive to combine poetic, socially conscious lyrics with harmonious melodies and perform versatile sets but few are able to succeed as well as
Adam Stern.
I have been to
The Mint a few times over the last couple of years to watch and listen to up and coming musicians perform and test out their skills in front of intimate crowds of friends and Los Angeles music enthusiasts. On Sunday night, I went to catch a showcase performance by
Adam Stern and his latest group of band members.
Adam is originally from Berkeley, California and currently lives in Hollywood.
His current band consists of Zubin Davar on drums and guest musicians from the hip-hop group, the Elevaters, Itai Shapira on bass, and Ben Hall on percussion, beat box and vocals. I’ve seen
Adam perform before at The Mint with other bands and by himself but this was his most energetic and exciting show I’ve had the chance to attend. I was impressed by how well they sounded and surprised when
Adam told me they’d only been practicing together for five days. He picked an extremely talented crew.
From left to right: Itai Shapira, Adam Stern, Ben Hall, Zubin Davar
I joined
Adam’s mailing list a while ago and have been listening to some of the new songs off
The Adam Stern EP for a couple weeks. Hearing them performed live with a band gave me a much greater appreciation for each piece. I could feel the passion that pulsated through each song and see the pleasure it gave
Adam to sing them. You can listen to his songs on his website under the music heading.
Adam started his set out with an upbeat song called
Let Me In to warm up the crowd. After getting a little warm himself and shedding his jacket to reveal a white winged t-shirt, he let loose with his single,
California Sun, for which he just released a music video (below). The congas gave the song an extra, playful beat. I couldn’t help smiling while listening and clapping with the rest of the crowd during the breakdown at the end.
The crowd was feeling
Adam as he dove into
Peace Pipe Possible. The words sailed out of him and the crowd bounced and swayed to his funky, reggae rhythms. He slowed it down to play a soft and soothing piece called
Sunshower Rain. Despite the change of pace, the crowd kept grooving. The band was unobtrusive, adding just the perfect amount of rhythm to compliment
Adam’s soulful croons.
Adam speaks to the crowd
Next,
Adam went solo to perform a few songs and played one of his first singles,
Amazing which he wrote while studying at UCLA during his freshman year. I really enjoyed it and took a short video with my camera. The quality isn’t great and the camera’s microphone makes it sound a little like he has a lisp but I assure you that he doesn’t.
Adam played another solo about his dog called
Moses Blueand the crowd loved it.
Adam told me that he and his dog Moses, who is less than a year old and still a very big puppy, are inseparable.
Adam and Moses Blue
He brought his band back for a song I hadn’t heard before,
Just The Way You Are. It had the same upbeat tempo as the others but also allowed Adam to flaunt his vocals. He closed the show with what he said is his favorite song to perform,
War. It was obvious how much he loved playing the funky melody and singing his politically charged lyrics as he danced on stage and improvised on guitar. He sings, “Cause, this [the war] was all about soil…/ No, all about the oil/ Oh Yea The Oil” as funky bass riffs wound around the lyrics, emphasizing each line. It was the perfect end to a great show and the crowd gave him a long round of applause as he leapt off the stage to greet his friends, introduce himself to new fans and say hello to just about everyone.
Adam told me his greatest inspirations (besides Moses Blue) are peace, possibility and positivity. His album is due out on Independence Day, July 4, 2008. His next big show will be sometime in May and he plans on playing a few small, private shows during the rest of April. For more information on touring and to hear all of his songs please visit www.adamstern.us.
