More than 200 people kept toasty Tuesday inside Whiskey Dick’s Saloon on a night when sub-freezing temperatures reigned outside. They had a pretty fantastic time.
Winding down from a six-week nationwide tour, Michal Menert and the Pretty Fantastics brought a high-energy show that kept the crowd moving all night long. Combing elements of electronic music and live instrumentation, the band broke into bits and pieces at first and then joined as one unit to close.
Space jazz. Trip hop. Electro soul. Psyche funk.
Fans were happy: “That was ridiculous,” one Tweeted. “Thank you guys so much. I would say you reset the bar for shows here, but I think you obliterated it.”
Horn players Will Glazier on trumpet and Daniel de Lisle, alternating on trombone and flute, opened the night as Willdabeast, warming up the crowd. DJ Marcelo Moxy, who plays bass in the Pretty Fantastics, then spun some vinyl, old-school style. A little Edgar Winter, a little Michael Jackson, and a lot of hip-hop in between. DJ starRo kept things going.
By the time Menert and the Pretty Fantastics combined forces at midnight, with Russ Liquid joining in on keyboards, fans were ready for the nearly two-hour set that followed.
It’s been a busy year for Menert, based in Denver and known for his work as an electronic music artist and producer. In April, he released a full-length album, “Space Jazz,” on his own record label, Super Best Records. On Sept. 29, Menert and the Pretty Fantastics dropped a self-titled album a few days before opening their fall tour in Philadelphia.
It’s been a long and winding road, but the tour closes this weekend in San Francisco after shows in Santa Cruz, Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo. The coast-to-coast road trip has been satisfying, though, with Menert noting, “I love it like a slow burning fire.”
“The coolest thing about (being on the road) is there’s no time for being depressed, sitting around on the couch,” de Lisle added.
There will be no couch surfing tonight, Nov. 11, when Menert and the Pretty Fantastics play at The Cataylst in Santa Cruz. Tickets for 18-and-over show are $15 at the door.
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