The Suffers Make Some Room EP Release with the Tontons and Fat Tony Club Dada, Dallas Sunday, January 25, 2015
"...Damn. Daaamn. DAMN. DAYUM!"
Those were the words Kam Franklin belted out last night at Club Dada as The Suffers cooly dropped their version of Outkast's "SpottieOttieDopaliscious" in a room full of Dallas music lovers eager to step out for a show on a Sunday evening. The feeling of joy we experienced once the horns blasted their fanfare was nothing less than magical.
See also: 8 Reasons Dallas Hip-Hop Is Better Than Houston's The Best Concerts In Dallas This Weekend, 1/23-1/25
In front of us stood a versatile and supremely talented group of musicians with the ability to expertly navigate soul, hip-hop, cumbia, blues and reggae, leaving the listener in a daze of wonder after hitting them with their sonic array of glorious sound. Their new EP asks us to Make Some Room, a demand to which we gladly and passionately comply.
With a equal parts Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin, front woman Kam Franklin (no relation... I think) uses every bone and muscle in her body to vocalize the heartaches and victories of life. The instrument of her vocal chords is played at the highest levels every single show, and last night those vocals were feeling the effects of playing the sixth show in three days. By her own estimate, she was at around 40 percent. Yet even at that diminished level, she still outperforms most singers at their highest.
The title track of Make Some Room is all about bowing down to love, and making the decision to allow yourself to be in love and be loved. Things aren't always that easy in the digital age. We allow ourselves to be distracted by problems and work and money and other people. Sometimes you just have to forget everything else, and sit down to enjoy a sandwich and a michelada with your boo/bae/sidepiece.
The future is bright for the Suffers, a band that consists of a diverse cross-section of the Houston music scene, each with an expert command of their instruments and desire to achieve greatness, all while having fun and making good music along the way. They are set to embark on their first national tour, first west, then east, then back home. A comparison to the Roots is undeniable, although the crew is more Gulf Coast soul than hip-hop. They have already served as the backup band for Bun B once with supremely enjoyable results. With this much talent, the possibilities are grand and exciting.
The night of Houston talent was rounded out by indie rock darlings the Tontons and the forever trill Fat Tony. Walking the line between lovely and fierce, the Tontons play an eclectic and smooth set of rock, and the experience they've gained on the road shows in their stirring stage presence. Fat Tony also has the gift of commanding a crowd, with life and lyrics hitting upon his time in HTown, Brooklyn and Los Angeles.
These three acts are more than colleagues, more than friends. They are a family, each supporting and pushing their siblings to success. They just need you to make some room, and last night Dallas was more than obliging.
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