ManyColors | 2021-06-25 | Rancho Del Rio, Bond, CO [SBD/AUD Matrix]

I’m a reasonable man… Get off my case if I want to jam to ManyColors at Beanstalk Music Festival!

While ominous skies sprinkled down droplets of rainwater, challenging fans to work to enjoy their weekend of music, ManyColors took the stage at Beanstalk Festival to the reception of a crowd willing to look right back at the abyss with a gallant grin. As the band started playing the reverb drenched opening chords to their take on Radiohead’s “Packt Like Sardines In A Crushed Tin Box”, the crowd began to fill; the band’s signature blend of lo-fi jazz and hip hop beats drew people to the stage from the throughout campground, undeterred by the rain and intrigued by the unique soundscape that was filling the valley.

For those who braved the weather, ManyColors did not disappoint – after the spacious opening jam, which proved to be the most expansive of their set, the band rolled into a couple of originals, “D.G.A.” and “Whisp”, which eventually blended into their J Dilla / Slum Village medley, reconciling itself in the punctuated melody of “Kamaal”. The band performed these segments with the utmost focus and determination that did not let up until almost 40 minutes into the set, when they finally took a break between songs. A true testament to the band’s polished and cohesive playing.

After the monster 40-minute opening segment, the band closed out the set with all original material, starting with the duo of “Bangs > Gladys”, both of which were originally recorded and released through Color Red Music, a record label owned by The New Mastersounds’ Eddie Roberts. Each tune highlights Eric Luba’s impressive playing and lesser appreciated lo-fi tone, which is so crucial in shaping the edges of Brant’s guitar work to get that key ManyColors sound. The band then performed two unnamed tunes: The first, an intense and brash storm of notes weaving a frantic narrative around its hook, highlighting frontman Brant Williams’ dynamic playing, which can be as sharp as a tack or as mellow as fog on a whim. The second, a polar shift to an upbeat R&B jam highlighted by Kirwan Brown’s stunning bass work taking the lead reigns, and taking everyone for a ride. The set then closed with the final coupling of songs: The hypnotizing lull of “Soft Trees”, which featured a drum break/fill from Braxton Khan so nasty you could literally feel the crowd let out a cohesive, universal “DAMN”… and this was during a set filled with those moments The band then segued into the spacey “Places You’ll Go”, which let loose Eric Luba’s synth work on a crowd more than happy to hear it.

ManyColors’ set was an enthralling journey through their expansive sound, seldomly stopping for more than a few words of endearment towards the crowd and maneuvering their set with nuanced clarity and ease. Their voice as a group is so powerful that they envelope the works they tribute and make them entirely their own. Whether they are doing a medley of J Dilla and Slum Village tunes, ripping through Radiohead, or especially (and obviously) when performing their originals, ManyColors is less a musical lens to peer through and more a multi-spectrum musical pair of sunglasses that, once you put on, you never want to take off.

ManyColors | 2021-06-25 | Beanstalk Music Festival at Rancho Del Rio, CO

-= One Set =-

01. Packt Like Sardines In A Crushed Tin Box >

02. D.G.A >

03. Whisp >

04. The Look Of Love >

05. E=MC^2 >

06. Fall In Love >

07. Lightworks >

08. Kamaal

09. Bangs >

10. Gladys

11. Eb C- G- >

12. Eb D+ G-

13. Soft Trees >

14. Places You’ll Go

Show Notes: This set was performed on the second day of the 9th annual Beanstalk Music Festival. Track 11 and Track 12 are unnamed songs that were listed on the set list as their chord progressions, so I named them as such.

Taper Notes: Mics setup FOB DFC raised around 7′ PAS. Board feed was split off of the PA sends but does not have the subs mixed in. As a result, the recording is matrixed with the audience feed to provide low-end as well as ambient sound. Thanks to sound engineer Richard Hartanft for the patch and mix!

Thank you to ManyColors and Beanstalk Music Festival for being cool with taping/sharing shows. Go see live music and support your local artists and music festivals! #spacetapes

ARCHIVE LINK: https://archive.org/details/MC2021-06-25.StudioProjects.C4.MKII.cards.AUD.SBD.Matrix