Los Angeles – Celebrating the release of their warmly received second full-length, EarthEE, the members of THEESatisfaction put on a powerful performance at the history-filled club Jewel’s Catch One on a recent night. The dark, smoke-filled downstairs room of the huge ex-disco complex was the perfect setting for THEESatisfaction’s thought-provoking yet highly danceable brand of hip-hop. The diverse crowd of music lovers responded well to the varied sounds of THEESatisfaction, whether dancing like maniacs or just bobbing their heads to the beat.
With newest member DJ Mursi Layne preparing the sound, Emcee Stasia “Stas” Irons and singer Catherine “Cat” Harris-White took the stage with little fanfare and immediately launched into their set. All three members had an effortlessly “cool” aura about them – yet every single subtle yet choreographed dance move, every single note that was sung or rapped, and every single beat that was dropped by the DJ was so precise that the passion THEESatisfaction have for their craft was apparent to every last member of the audience.
THEESatisfaction’s sound could be described as having one foot in the past and one foot marching forward, and this night’s set was no different. Despite this show being held to celebrate the release of EarthEE, Cat and Stas did not ignore their debut, AweNaturale. In fact, substantial lengths of time passed by without songs from EarthEE being performed. This is a band that seems to always be innovating while remembering where they came from. While the older songs definitely had their place in the set, their newest songs were clearly the most popular songs of the night. “Nature’s Candy” in particular was a fan favorite, with a vocal hook and great beat that got nearly everyone in the venue to dance along.
Another highlight of THEESatisfaction’s performance was “Werq,” one of the many strong tracks from EarthEE and one of the earlier songs played in the set. With its tandem vocals in the chorus and verbal acrobatics by both Cat and Stas, it set the tone of a band that was ready to give the audience a flawlessly cool performance.
The night got started with a performance by musician/producer Erik Blood, a past collaborator of the ladies in THEESatisfaction and many other bands from the Seattle area. His sensual, dream-pop influenced style was the perfect mood music for those that arrived early to the smoky club, and in the moments that the music picked up the pace, the band exuded a ton of energy. Next up was self-proclaimed “art-rapper” Open Mike Eagle, who put on one of the more unique and impressive rap performances in recent memory. His off-kilter rhythms along with his dark and loquacious flows got the crowd energized and ready for the like-minded headliner.
After appearances at SXSW, THEESatisfaction will hit the road in support of fellow Washingtonians, the reunited Sleater-Kinney. The tour hits most states across the southern portion of the U.S. (sorry Northeastern states), before heading up the West Coast.
This popular tour is already selling out fast; for more information and tickets check out THEESatisfaction’s website.
Matt Matasci
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