Truly great music needs to be experienced; not just heard, but really felt. An excellent example was the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Now there was an unbelievable musician who insisted that his fans know the full breadth of his music. Unfortunately, people of today are hard pressed to find music of that quality. Well after this last concert I attended, I'd have to say we're pretty close.

I might be crazy, but in my opinion The Mars Volta is our generation's Jimi Hendrix. It's the kind of music that doesn't necessarily always have an explanation, sometimes it just is what it is. About a week or so ago, I had the chance to be fully immersed in everything that they are. This was categorically the wildest show I've ever been to. For two and a half hours it was an out right jam session. One song led right into the other, never giving us a chance to stop or take a breath. But that's okay, because with Omar on the guitar you can easily lose track of time. So many elements went into making the night a success. First was the fact that there were no opening bands - and that was just fine with me. Sure there are those few opening bands that turn out to be amazing or possibly your new favorite, but when a band like The Mars Volta is playing, all you're there to see is them. Because you either love them or you hate them, and those hundreds of people in that sold out venue loved them.

Talk about a full stage. The Mars Volta tours with not only the typical line up of guitar, bass, drums and vocals but also includes keyboards, percussion, synthesizers, flute, saxophone, clarinet, and various forms of sound manipulation. It shows a great deal of experience that all of these members can play with such insane energy for over two hours straight. It also adds more of a visual entertainment. There was so much happening on stage that it was almost exhausting to try and keep up. This is another element that simply adds to the experience, because if you subtracted even one instrument or manipulation, it simply wouldn't be Mars Volta.

The set list, as with any good band, was a mixture of all of their albums. Naturally focusing a little more on the most recent ones: Amputechture and The Bedlam In Goliath which at the time of the concert was a mere four days from release. I was a little bummed that I didn't get to hear my all-time favorite: "L'Via L'Viaquez" but I did get "Meccamputechture" (a top 3 favorite) and with that I'm happy. I think I respected them more that they didn't play their basically one huge radio hit "The Widow." Sure everyone would've known the words and loved to hear that song, but Volta fans aren't fans because of what they hear on the radio. So it almost made more sense for them not to play that song.

I was practically speechless after the concert. Perhaps it was because my body was on sensory overload, or maybe I just needed a moment to process. Either way, this was classified as a "one-of-a-kind" concert that people will talk about for years. Everyone experienced it in a different way. In fact one guy was so overcome by the music that he passed out and fell face first on the floor right behind me. Ok, maybe that wasn't all because of the music. The last time Volta came to Kansas City they were booed. That, to me, shows that they were ahead of their time. Because on this tour Kansas City's The Beaumont Club held over a thousand happy fans. Though they may not be Hendrix, it was an experience like no other!

-Rachel Fredrickson

The Mars Volta
January 25th, 2008
The Beaumont Club
Kansas City, MO

More Music Features

Talk Back
e-mail the chief

Like this article?
e-mail it to a friend!