Concert Review: Ibibio Sound Machine Are Music’s Spirit At Brooklyn Bowl

At Brooklyn Bowl, Ibibio Sound Machine (ISM) were a dance-fest; showing that rhythm is a global force. What wowed me about their performance is that they prove music is a “living thing;” purifying and pulsing through the air to make its listeners proudly proclaim, “This is life. This is how I should live!”

Eno Williams is one of the most generous performers you will ever see. She cares so much that everyone is having a good time; consistently talking and chatting with the crowd like a mom encouraging her child’s first swimming match. In spanning every genre, from Funk to Afro-punk, the Ibibio Sound Machine make dancing inevitable. Their songs, literally, enter you from your toes; hypnotically making you tap your feet and clap your hands. Such a capacity needs to be matched with confidence, of which Williams has in droves to give. She sees herself as a leader in assuring people don’t care about whether they can catch the beat as long as they catch the vibe.

Ibibio Sound Machine – Wanna Come Down (Official Music Video)

While she belted away and danced in a regal outfit that felt hand-made by either gods or theatre veterans, each band member backed Williams with prowess. At least once, in their show, every member has a chance to shine and riff away at their instrument. Leaving the audience impressed as they are moved. Yet, it is this opportunity, to display the potency of music, that shows its globality. A guitar is a guitar until each hand touches it to create a style, a personality, or a spirit. Their ability to fuse genres and amp up an audience, again, proved that music is spirit, and your role, as an artist, is to push people to tap into the vastness of its soul by tapping into theirs. For More Information On Ibibio Sound Machine Click Here.