More Antibalas - Filmed Live on KEXP

Out of Seattle, Washington, is a KEXP-FM, a radio station whose slogan is "where the music matters". They have proven to be much more than a radio station, they have a crew of cameras, lights and action. Kudos to devoted staff of KEXP and a big thank you for a job consistently well done.

One of their great timeless takes is of the real music group off the Daptone Records imprint known as Antibalas, a group that is well known for being the band for the broadway production of Fela, based on the life of AfroBeat pioneer and outspoken human rights & political activist, Fela Kuti of Lagos Nigeria.  Antibalas captured the real vibration of Fela Kuti's signature sound beautifully for that production.

The band, as explained in the brief interview between songs inside this wonderful filmed in-studio performance, is one that changes up members from time to time and can number of players can fluctuate. Regardless of the lineup on any given show, the real deal sound of Antibalas never stops. The skill of these players is something to be honored, for bands with real horns and players like this is practically a dying art. Kudos to KEXP and to Antibalas for your devotion to real music from all genres.

Antibalas - Live on KEXP-FM

Connect direct with Antibalas at Antibalas.Com

Hear more Antibalas in previous MusicLoad posts below:

Filmed Live in Concert in Mexico
http://www.musicload.com/2013/06/antibalas-live.html

Their very cool music video to their song titled Dirty Money
http://www.musicload.com/2012/09/antibalas-dirty-money.html

A live show filmed on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert
http://www.musicload.com/2012/10/more-from-antibalas-live-from-house-of.html

Fela Kuti and the Egypt 80 Band

After featuring the music of Antibalas, the band whose sound that is so heavily influenced by the late great Fela Kuti, it seemed logical to finally follow up with some more Fela Kuti himself. This is a live concert film of Fela in 1984 at Glastonbury, the largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world to this day. This concert film also includes a segment/interview of Fela that not part of the music performance, but in a room somewhere, wearing what he wore on stage. He speaks candidly about his activism, various other thoughts and about his life as far back as a child. A great snapshot of a very interesting dead music legend whose music and spirit is still very much alive and influencing living artists with similar activist bents and heavy grooves. A MusicLoad favorite artist named Nneka quickly comes to mind. If you like afro funk music, this film is worthy of turning off the phone, turning up the volume knob, sitting back and watching.

Antibalas - Live

This footage shot by El Fusil in Mexico, is the latest live concert footage of the Brooklyn Based Afrobeat/Funk/Jazz group known as Antibalas, a word which translates in Spanish to bulletproof.

Much of Antibalas' music is in the vein of the late great Fela Kuti. In fact in 2008-2009, Antibalas actually was the house band in the off-Broadway and then Broadway musical, Fela!, about the life of Fela Kuti, the Nigerian political & social activist and recording artist.

On it's own, Antibalas, which is on the Daptone Records imprint, has a powerful unique sound worthy of cranking up the volume knob and escaping the world of texting or any further reading here.

Antibalas - Che Che Cole










Hear and see more music/videos by Antibalas on MusicLoad at the following links:

Antibalas - Dirty Money (directed by The Fine Brothers)
Music video where claymation meets animation. It's terrific... it's cool. It's Antibalas.
MusicLoad.com/2012/09/antibalas-dirty-money.html

Antibalas - Live
More from Antibalas at The House of Soul
MusicLoad.com/2012/10/more-from-antibalas-live-from-house-of.html

Connect direct with Antibalas at Antibalas.com

Fela Kuti

Fela Kuti - Buy Africa


Fela Kuti - Zombie


Fela Kuti - No Agreement (1977) Full Album

"No Agreement" 00:00
"Dog Eat Dog" 15:29