They”re back. Pittsburgh”s biggest band, Rusted Root, with all its African/Latin/Eastern jams came to the sold-out Michigan theater last night to prove just how back they really are.
- Paul Wong
- Those crazy rusted folk.<br><br>Courtesy of Mercury Records
After what seemed to be an official break up, the band came together for a completely unexpected 2001 tour. Judging by the sight of the crazed, enthused fans, this was a very good move.
For two hours straight, Rusted Root gave out all the goods. They performed a lot of their old hits, including “Artificial Winter” and “Welcome to my Party.” They also threw in a few from their just-recorded album, such as “Live Long.”
The band started off the concert by giving the crowd goosebumps with the enchanting “Voodoo.” This song made for an incredible comeback for the band and afterwards, it only got better.
In the middle of the set, the band got the crowd completely hyped by playing a Bob Dylan/Jimi Hendrix favorite, “All Along the Watch Tower.”
Lead vocalist/songwriter/guitarist Michael Glabicki was a highlight of the show. With his guitar solos and his (oh-so-sexy) unforgettable voice, the crowd just couldn”t get enough of this man. Although Glabicki was a hit, he definitely needed a little help from his band. Dressed as if they were on their way to class, Liz Berlin, Jenn Wertz, Jim Donovan, Jim DiSpirito, Patrick Norman and John Buynak all contributed to making the show incredible. With all the switching of instruments and the girls” harmonization, the show was beyond exciting.
One of the great performances of the night was the song “Beautiful People.” Its slow, mellow rhythm let the crowd relax from the rest of the high-energy songs.
Another favorite was “Ecstasy.” This one brought the excitement in the theater to an ultimate high because the band began this song with ten minutes of dualing drums. Everyone in the theater was dancing, clapping and looking completely at ease.
After what seemed to be the end of a great show, Rusted Root came back for an encore with their hit “Send Me on My Way.” Although this got everyone excited, this would have been a disappointing, cliched ending to a great show. Luckily, the band came back with a second encore, and played “Tree.” This song made for a great rap-up to an unbelievable show.
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For two straight hours, Rusted Root gave their fans all the goods. There were some staple favorites, such as “Big White Bird” and “Women take all your money,” mixed up with some of the new songs, such as “Live Long.”
The band started up the night strong with the mysterious “Voodoo.” A few songs later, they got the crowd a little more riled up than they already were with a Bob Dylan/Jimi Hendrix cover, “All Along the Watch Tower.”
Lead vocalist Mike Glabicki was most definitely the center of attention, with his guitar solos and his (oh-so-sexy) unforgettable voice.