Michael Franti and Spearhead
by Rhapsody Berg
Michael Franti started Spearhead in 1994 and has been constantly writing upbeat, uplifting songs drawing influence from all over the place including funk, reggae, hip hop and rock. On the first day of New West Fest they headlined the Mountain Avenue stage with the show simulcast on the Library park stage (due to technical difficulties it was not simulcast on the Linden Street stage as scheduled). The show started at 8:30 but the stage area was completely packed by 8:15.
After a name change prompted by a split with Capitol Records, Michael Franti & Spearhead released Stay Human on the newly formed Boo Boo Wax record label in 2001. Although Franti had an avid underground following, it would be another eight years before he garnered mainstream radio success with the cheery hook laden “Say Hey (I love you)”. In a strange twist of fate, Franti was being wheeled into surgery for a ruptured appendix when he found out that “Say Hey” had hit the Billboard top 20.
The show opened with “Everyone Deserves Music” off his 2006 release by the same title. Other notable songs played included “Rude Boyz,” “Sound of Sunshine,” and “Yell Fire.” During the show, he noted that people from all over the world were sending their best wishes that Colorado would recover well after all the fires and shortly after, it began to rain. Many fans were brought on stage, and there was even a surprise proposal. He played his encore of “Say Hey” and “Long Ride Home” then Franti and guitarist Jay Bowman wandered around the crowd for half an hour signing autographs, taking pictures, and generally personifying the nice-guy spirit of his music.
Online: michaelfranti.com
Category: Noco Music Scene
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