2006-07-14 - 0:28

Bluesfest 2006: Day 7

If you didn't see Konono N�1 tonight, you missed the Congo dance party of the year. When people told me that the band had been playing music for 25 years, I didn't realize that they meant without interruption. I think that they only stop to replace drummers whenever the current victim inevitably has his arms fall off.

Tonight they played for an hour and fifteen minutes, which was divided into two songs. With three likemb� players and three percussionists, the group had a unique sound; and they unfurled their songs with a trance mentality, slowly adding pieces to the mix and returning frequently to familiar refrains.

The guy and girl handling most of the vocals were very fun to watch, particularly when he would get a goofy grin on his face and start shaking his hips. Of course, everyone in the crowd was dancing along all night, as well. It was definitely a treat to be back to the Blacksheep Stage, with its polite fans. (Tomorrow should be a less consistently pleasant experience.)

At the end of the night, the stand-up percussionist ran back onto the stage at least four times to tip his hat to the crowd and bask in the applause. The repetition was amusing but he certainly deserved the respect. His playing was so relentless that he barely had the chance to wipe the sweat from his eyes during the hot set.

Things will continue to heat up for Bluesfest, figuratively and literally. The three remaining days include Metric, Fiery Furnaces, Holy Fuck, Wintersleep, Wilco, the New Pornographers, and Controller.Controller. And each day is expected to surpass 30 degrees. I'm guaranteeing that it'll be a big finish.

J.