Don’t give me no lip, don’t tell me no lies…give me The Sweet Lillies performing at Central City Jazz Fest!
One of Boulder’s favorite bluegrass outfits brought their old-time string band sound to the streets of Central City for the second day of the annual jazz fest. Following a high-octane set from Melvin Seals and JGB, The Sweet Lillies lulled us all into the beauty of the day with their soulful harmonies and impassioned delivery.
The set started off with the tune “He Caught Fire” which is, as the band put it, “a song about a man mistreating a woman.” The bare a capella chorus consisting of the repeated vocal couplet “He caught fire” delivered the song with the intensity of a war cry. The next tune, “Weeping Willow”, followed the same theme, begging the listener to not “give me no lip don’t tell me no lies”. The tune, while delivered in the bluegrass style, flows like an old motown R&B tune, especially with the back-up vocal call-response. It also opened itself up for some solid lead guitar and fiddle work, something The Sweet Lillies have plenty of.
Next up, the band performed a rap medley that was a mash-up of tunes from The Beastie Boys, Erykah Badu, TLC, and more. The novelty of delivering hip-hop lyrics over a washboard, fiddle, and acoustic guitar feeds the soul of any one who grew up listening to these tunes. The verses show off their impressive ability to spit a verse, (even on a re-listen I always have to sing-out “intergalactic planetary!” to reconcile the verse, and also “I like my sugar with COFFEE AND CREAM!”) but the real highlight is the chorus, which is a re-worked version of the Erykah Badu song “My Life”, sung with an intensity that dwarfs the original and served as a cathartic peak to the melody.
Afterwards, the band got into a darker tune called “Shaman”, which featured a crooning chorus enveloped by ominously brooding verses. This was then paired well with a cover of String Cheese Incident’s “Sirens”, a song with dark verses but also polarized by the positively upbeat chorus. The tune also featured a very special guest that would remain for the rest of the set, Leftover Salmon frontman Vince Herman. His guitar work added a soulful nuance to each of the songs, offering up the only non-acoustic element to the sound. The band then performed a snappy take on their original “Blue Dress”, highlighted by Vince’s guitar lines, which flirted with surf tones and cowboy licks. The outro also featured some solid interplay between Vince’s electric and guitarist Dustin Rohleder’s acoustic.
The set then closed out with a duo of tunes that could not be more different. The first was a cover of the 90’s club hit, “This Is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan. The Sweet Lillies impressive vocal work completely re-frames the song, giving it a fiercer attack and the instrumentation makes for an instantly more memorable breakdown. There was also something endearing about Vince Herman teasing the song’s melody; it was a brief moment to remind us that musicality transcends genre. The set then closed out with The Sweet Lillies’ interpretation of a Maya Angelou poem called “I’ll Rise”. The inspiring lyrics fit right in with the band’s delivery and sent off fans with a resounding message of resilience.
The Sweet Lillies bring an energy to a crowd that spans the spectrum of what music means to many. From their soulful originals to their charming covers, the band has penchant for crowd pleasing and succeeds through their honest delivery and well written songs. They’re as much a party as they are inspiring, a trait that makes for an incredibly compelling live experience.
The Sweet Lillies | 2019-06-08 | The Frenchman Stage On Main Street, Central City, CO
-= One Set =-
01. (Intro)
02. He Caught Fire
03. Weeping Willow
04. Rap Medley
05. Shaman
06. (Banter)
07. Sirens[1]
08. Blue Dress[1]
09. (Banter II)
10. This Is How We Do It[1]
11. I’ll Rise[1]
Show Notes: This set was performed as a part of the annual Central City Jazz Festival. It was performed on the Frenchman Stage right at the start of Main Street.
[1] “Sirens”, “Blue Dress”, “This Is How We Do It” and “I’ll Rise” featured Vince Herman (Leftover Salmon) on guitar.
Taper Notes: DFC Mics raised around 6′ PAS. Soundboard was to the right of the stage. Thanks to Remmy and Max for running sound!
Thank you to The Sweet Lillies and Central City Jazz for being cool with taping/sharing shows. Go see live music and tip your bartenders! #spacetapes
