Nahko & Medicine For the People: A review of Jan, 27 2017 at Concord Music Hall words: Alex Diciaula Photos: Aaron Bradley

Nahko & Medicine For the People: A review of  Jan, 26 2017 at Concord Music Hall words: Alex Diciaula Photos: Aaron Bradley 

                         "A Night of Healing" 

 

“Hoka hey!” is a native battle cry, that literally translates as “Today is a good day to die.” But the true intentions of the phrase are to inspire that Today is a good day to live. Nahko & Medicine for the People’s latest album, “HOKA”, empowers that exact feeling. On Thursday night the 26th, Nahko & MFTP rolled through The Concord on their Hoka: A Call to ActionTour. 

 

The band took the stage to a sold out, roaring and hyped crowd with A Tribe Called Red’s Electric Pow Wow. This set the tone for the night, that this wasn’t just a concert, but a gathering. This gathering was ready to dance and kept the motion flowing through the entire set, matching Nahko nearly word for word on every track of the night, which were mostly tunes representingthe “HOKA” album. 

 

The band displayed powerful synergy throughout the show, rotating both impressive solos and cohesive climaxes that only seemed to peak higher and higher with the frenzied enjoyment from the crowd. Like the message behind “Hoka,” and the theme to the tour, Nahko encouraged his fans to “Kick ass in 2017” before an inspiring encore of Are You Ready and beautifully done sing-along rendition of Tus Pies. 

 

Setlist 

Electric Pow Wow (intro only) 

All Can Be Done >

It Is Written > 

San Quentin >

4 Directions (last verse only)

Make a Change 

Runner

Nahko solo medly 

Tim Snider violin solo 

Dear Brother (back to full band) >

Peace in America jam

Social injustice rap (Nahko only) 

Love Letters to God

We Are on Time

Encore: 

Are You Ready?

Tus Pias 

 

Los Muertos con Queso continued without Bob Weir.

Los Muertos con Queso continued without Bob Weir. 

 

 Los Muertos con Queso continued on Thursday  with a full portion of cheese but without Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir. He was supposed to perform two sets with his newest band but the performance went out without Weir who according to Bill Kreutzmann Bob was suffering  from food poisoning. 

Thursday’s entertainment began  with an afternoon set from The String Cheese Incident. SCI continued their flawless playing from new years and delivered  sets that included takes on “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues,” "Miss Brown's Teahouse" and a tribute to Butch Trucks with a touching cover of "Jessica". 

The new band who already performed yesterday took the stage with Jackie Greene as the front man and no Bob Weir in site. Actually,  Billy did not explain his absence until late in the show. The show went on with visitors such as Kyle and Jason. They delivered two smoking sets regardless.  We can only hope that Bob Weir feels up to the next performance.