Concert Review: Great Caesar Is A Band of Friends United In Music
Watching Great Caesar in concert is like watching a group of talented, fun friends. The camaraderie between the band-mates, of which they begin their show by doing a group huddle, adds a feeling of comfort and joyous energy. Because the band has been together for so long, some members since grade school, their ease amplifies the good-time feel they wish to give their audience.
Great Caesar’s live performance does a million justices to their talents. If you heard their music before, I can assure you that in concert their sound and lyrics reach new levels. With all the very popular/ wealthy mainstream acts that dwindle in live performance, compared to their albums, it feels rare that an artist’s music is good live, let alone better. Yet, witnessing their performance made the thoughtfulness of their instrumental compositions and lyrics beautifully displayed. Their songs Still Love and Don’t Ask Me Why came to life through the emotiveness of vocalists, Niki Morrisette and front-man John Michael Parker. The duo’s riffs and powerful harmonies convey the drama of these songs and their worthy, human messages. Overall, the depth of their lyrics and the band’s vivid orchestration hits you like a cool breeze. Tom Sikes (trumpet), Adam Glaser (bass), Thomas Stephens (drums), and Mike Farrell (guitar), create an incredible support system of musical talent as each “kills it” on their instrument. More importantly, their smiles and acting out of songs, helps the audience capture the brimming wisdom of the band’s music.
Kudos must be given to Great Ceasar’s talents because to make good music that is intelligent and purposeful in social commentary is not attempted enough by many musicians. It is that virtuous initiative that transitions them from musicians to artists. Every detail of their songs seems personally planned to have meaning and give a new look to life’s themes like, love and acceptance. I emphasize their capacity and desire to be significant in intention because, again, it seems like not many musicians want to make important music or take their music importantly. Thus, you walk out of their performance feeling a little bit smarter and happier to see a batch of good people making good music. It may seem weird to note in a concert review that the band appears like it is filled with kind people, but that is what makes Great Caesar so endearing. They, immediately, give off a vibe of people you would want to hang out with and could actually grab a casual coffee on a Sunday. They take their time between songs to explain its thought-process or have a friendly chat with audience members, of which many are apart of a loyal following they have had since their High-school days. This welcoming mentality makes you want to invest even more in the band and their music, which is an amazing ability to have. To make the audience walk out of a concert, loving the band even more and wishing them great success, is the key to any artists’ rise.
I would completely recommend seeing Great Caesar because they literally feel like a warm hug. Although I definitely danced to their indie-soul rhythms, it is their open stage presence that will guarantee them future prosperity. No one can deny the power of a good, cozy band that makes you feel happy, which is exactly what Great Caesar does.
