Reviews > Shows

Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, Water Street Music Hall, Rochester, NY 11/21/09

A diverse Water Street Music Hall crowd that ranged from baby boomers to 16-year-olds roared in anticipation of Sharon Jones, but were surprised to be greeted first by the dapper Dap-Kings. The Brooklyn-based funk ensemble eased into “(Introduction)” written by bandleader Bosco “Bass” Mann, from 2002’s Dap Dippin’ with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. Lead guitarist Binky Griptite vamped up the crowd with a few warm-up tunes before the lady took the stage.

Jones’ first tune with the Dap-Kings started with guitar which blasted out of the speakers like a funky rip-tide reverberating through the whole building. Calling it her strut song, “How Do I Let A Good Man Down” had Jones strutting her stuff along with a young audience member who left the stage with a kiss from the miss. With no barrier between the stage and Jones, it was obvious that she liked to get close with her crowd.

After the first note of “Nobody’s Baby,” fans “oooed” on cue with Jones as she belted the funk out of her soul. For a quick “When the Saints Go Marching In” interlude, four female backup singers, known as the “Sharonettes,” were brought onstage to provide backing vocals on “Tell Me.”

In a recent interview with Jambands.com Jones said that she wanted to play a few new tunes to showcase how tight they were and the new material proved to be smooth with plenty of groove.

Jones’ monologue about fishing led into a tune with a twangy guitar that fabricated a boat rocking while the beat-popping baritone line carved into the song like a foghorn in the night.

“My Man is a Mean Man” got the crowd jumping so hard you could feel it in the floor which only escalated when the band segued into “100 Days, 100 Nights.” After raging solos, the mass of funk fans was screaming for an encore before Jones even left the stage.

Griptite bellowed into a guitar frenzy again before Jones reappeared with a great amount of showmanship. The group began a fast and funky encore that made fans dance with fervor, eventually easing down with the ever so “Sweet Jesus.” The Dap-Kings closed with the ending of the “(Introduction),” and encouraged the fans to wait around for Jones who would be signing autographs.