Mopapod? Dopatet? The double bill of Dopapod + The Motet at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta on 11/18 promised to be a funk extravaganza as it was the last of the pairing of these two bands on the tour. The pumped up crowd was stoked from Dopapod’s opening (Dopapod opening tune on YouTube) right to the superjam at the end (The Motet + Dopapod, This is How We Do It on YouTube).
Dopapod recently released their fifth studio album, Megagem and has been on tour with The Motet for a few weeks. After a New Year’s Eve show in Boston, the group plans to takea year off “to focus on themselves” so it will be the last time the Atlanta crew sees them for a while.
The group was high energy all night and their jamfunktronica got the fans locked in to the groove for the entire 1 1/2 hour set. A highlight was this 19 minute jam that I call IDon’tKnowWhatTheFuckThisIsButILikeIt!. If anyone can help me identify it – I’ll credit you!
The Motet – what can I say – they’re definitely one of the top touring funk bands today! Their tasty licks are tight all the way around. Instrumentally, they are as solid as any of their brethren as exemplified by this opening tune (please help with naming it!) and lead in to Damn!. First, I’ve got to give super props to Lyle Divinsky – the dude has a great set of pipes and can funk it up with the best of them. And on top of that he’s non-stop dancing machine and a great entertainer and a great addition to the group.
The Motet horns – Gabriel Mervine (trumpet), Drew Sayers (sax) — terrific whether supporting the tune or supreme with their solos definitely interjected some Parliament/Funkadelic licks into the tunes bringing some old school feel to fresh tunes.
Joey Porter on keys is a maestro and holds down stage right with gusto. I recently had the pleasure of seeing him, Garrett Sayers (bass), and Ryan Jalbert (guitar) at Brooklyn Comes Aliver during a Herbie Hancock Tribute and a Jamiroquai tribute so I know that they are schooled in old school funk and they put a up-to-date imprint on it. Holding down the back beats is Dave Watts the band’s founder and leader since 1998. The Motet’s sound has evolved over time but there’s no doubt about it, I love where they’re at!