The Mars Volta - Detour Festival (09-04-08)

October 4th, 2008, the evening I would finally be able to experience The Mars Volta live. After following the group from their inception in 2001, it seemed as though I could never work it out to catch them live. Luckily they were slated to headline and play a full set at LA Weekly's Detour Festival. I was ecstatic to say the least, and not really knowing what to expect from their live show added another dimension of anticipation that had me as giddy as a schoolgirl.

As they took the stage I could only hope for a well rounded set that would consist of a little taste from each of their records. Needless to say, my wish was granted. The energy was at a peak all night as the band tore through songs from their entire catalog. From De-Loused In The Comatorium's 'Drunkship Of Lanterns', to an almost half hour version of 'Goliath' from their latest record, The Bedlam In Goliath. The musicianship of the band has always astounded me because they just sound so darn good on their records, and they did not disappoint in recreating it live. I am constantly reminded that Omar Rodriguez-Lopez's guitar skills are within the top 5, if not reigning on top, of today's guitarists. Some may say that he is all over the place and is just shredding out notes to shred, but I'll be darned if he doesn't convince me that he is a musical mastermind. Omar was so full of energy and crisp all night long, even as the band improvised through an extended version of 'Goliath'. The band sounded like a machine that was so well oiled that there was no way that it could be stopped. I am still so impressed with the level of skill possessed by the members of this band, and it would take a lot to convince me otherwise. It is awesome to see people like Thomas Pridgen, who won Modern Drummer's "Best Up And Coming Drummer", get recognized for their superior skills. He was absolutely amazing through the entire set, never missing a beat and keeping the groove going when the group deviated in to the 'Goliath' jam.

Although a lot of people dismiss The Mars Volta as a bunch of 'weirdos', they truly are a bunch of talented musicians. I think a lot of people could have easily changed their opinion of the band if they saw the chemistry and talent they displayed in the extended version of 'Goliath'. I must say that that song was my highlight of the night. I always enjoy a good jam session, but when you mix in the technical execution that The Mars Volta possess, it gives the expression an entirely new meaning. It is in these moments, I believe, that the influences of the band really shine through. Whether it be in the jazz influences through the saxophone of Adrian Terrazas-Gonzalez, or the psychedelic keyboard skills of Ikey Owens, the band took turns flaunting their area of expertise and put a smile on my face as they continually impressed me with their musical proficiency. After the 2 hour plus set that The Mars Volta dominated, I can say that I cannot wait until my next live experience, and I do mean experience, of The Mars Volta.