Average ticket price: $25
Bonobo serves as the stage name for UK musician, producer and DJ, Simon Green. Making music under the Ninja Tune's label (which can do no wrong, much like DFA) since 1999, Bonobo's sound can be easily described as instrumental, downtempo music, with often heavy, complex basslines. Bonobo marries elements of downtempo, jazz and hip-hop together and in three words, I'd call it 'ambient stoner music'.
Bonobo began performing with a full band in 2004, with Green leading from the center on bass. Bonobo is made up of a singer, keyboardist, guitarist, saxophonist, string section, electronics and drummer. The end result is a blend of melodic, pulsing instrumentation. I was particularly blown away by the drummer, who was hitting some pretty insane break beats; going triple-quadruple time on the hi-hat with rapid, odd time snare kicks. Considering there was no drum machine involved, I hadn't seen anything like it in my life. Please do yourself a favor and go see Bonobo, if you ever get the chance.
