Staff Blog
John Butler Trio, Nov. 9, The Electric Factory
posted by aly semigran
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| Photo | Aly Semigran |
In the same vein of “don’t mix work with pleasure” some people are vehemently for “don’t mix politics with music.” Christ, the Dixie Chicks had an entire movie about it. But, when it’s an adorable Australian guy who wears a beanie hat to hide his equally adorable dreadlocks, it’s pretty damn hard to resist. You can peg the guy as a hippie all you like, but at his song “Treat Yo Momma (Wit’ Respect)” (which they played during last night’s set) argues, “Don’t call me hippie ‘cause the way that I look.” John Butler and his musical companions Shannon Birchall (bass) and Michael Barker (drums) reminded the sold out (the first for JBT in Philly) Electric Factory that no matter how crazy this planet of ours is right now, life ain’t so bad after all. That in order to fix problems, that Butler had brought up, such as Darfur, Katrina and the climate crisis, you just need to hold on to hope and, in a rare cover song moment by JBT, “Come Together.” Interestingly enough, the song that roused the crowd the most was Butler’s instrumental “Ocean.” It was even a greater reminder that in times like these, music, not just words, can be a great healer.
This was the most moving show I have ever been to. The Trio really have the potential to do a lot of good in this world, and I trust that they will.