Review: Lotus and Telepath @ Irving Plaza
Words: Carla Danca
Photos: Jeremy Gordon
This past Saturday night in New York City, two of Philadelphia’s finest jamtronica bands, Lotus and Telepath, held court at the sold out Fillmore NYC at Irving Plaza. With dozens of young fans (16+ show) milling about looking for extras Telepath got the night off to a blazing start.
The three piece keyboard, bass, and drums mixed in music and beats from India and Africa, packing the floor early with the faithful eager to celebrate the holidays. The band ran through an upbeat 45 minute set, which included a Jingle Bell Rock tease and a callout to those dressed in Santa outfits and glow charms. A few in the crowd even noticed Mike Rempel of Lotus joining in and playing his unplugged guitar just off stage, no wonder as he and band mate Chuck Morris had sat in the night before in Pittsburgh.
Finally it was Lotus’s turn to take the stage. After road testing their newest material in Boston, St Louis, Denver, San Francisco, New Orleans and more than a dozen other cities and over 40+ shows, the band showed what a difference a few months can make. Kicking off with the ever-evolving fan favorite Bellweather, Lotus interspersed new tunes with old and turned the main floor into a tightly packed sweatbox of delirious fans. The second set highlights included Age of Inexperience, Shimmer & Out, and of course the encore, Hammerstrike, which ended with Jesse Miller grabbing his keyboard and thrusting it upward in delight. READ ON for more Lotus goodness…
