I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: June 30, 2024] Grails

I saw Soma play at a church in Asbury Park.  The night was an evening of cool video projections and transcendent music.

I really enjoyed their set which was based around sacred music inspired by Krishna.  At the church I really couldn’t see them because lights were low so the projections on the walls would show up better.

At this show the whole band was visible and I enjoyed seeing the vast array if instruments they played–including two double-barrelled flutes and a shell (I’ve never seen anyone blow into a shell to make a sound before).

The music has a trance-like element with repetitive phrases, chanting and simple percussive beats.  At this show a woman sat cross legged on the floor as soon as they started.  And a guy on the side occasionally burst out in joyous affirmation–which I thought was weird, but which the bands seemed to find normal.

There are two main vocalists and virtually every song is a call and response in which the rest of the band (and crowd) sing along.  I enjoyed watching everyone playing their instruments up close and seeing the random assortment of instruments that they were playing as well–so much percussion.

Since I knew what to expect this time I tried to let the music wash over me.  And it was an uplifting experience.

I’m not sure which songs they played this time.  I recognized a few of them but some sounded new to me.

There was one amusing moment where one of the guys in the band introduced the song as a cover–which you may have heard in Shea Stadium in the 1970s.  They played the “Hare Krishna, Hare Rama etc.” song.

It seems surprising to me that they would be invited to open for a rock band, but it was pretty cool to see them in this way.

And they sell the best incense too.