Wednesday 20 November 2024

Review by Sivaan Walker

Within seconds of entering the stage, Michael Franti had the crowd roaring. Kids, parents, teens and older folk were bouncing, waving and responding to Franti’s storytelling nestled in a heavy bass and groove. Franti is an audience-oriented performer, he gets people signing peace symbols, singing into the microphone, and hugging strangers. It’s astonishing how easily and naturally he cuts through the awkwardness of standing within a smidgen of other audience members. One minute he’s down on the floor, on a breakout stage in the middle of the crown, the next he’s on the mezzanine embracing an audience member!

However, this energy does not undermine the tone and seriousness of Franti’s messaging and purpose.

“We can bomb the world into pieces, but we can’t bomb it into peace.” 

Michael Franti’s words resonate now more than ever with the Centre for Preventative Action reporting that 2022 saw the most conflict-related fatalities in the last 30 years. Despite this deep, heart-felt plea for peace and love amongst crisis, Franti brings his audience an astonishing amount of collectivism. His music is situated within his own life story, learning how to belong, how to love, and how to respect all individuals’ and their unique traits.

Franti’s performance was supported by Spearhead, a mix of talented performers helping Franti spread his message. A key presence in Franti’s show was the incredibly entertaining use of lighting and screens. It provided a unique background to Franti’s performance with images, texts, and words to increase the audiences’ experiences into a multimodal one. Amongst the body bopping, the hands waving in the air, and the unmatched enthusiasm, this show is a fantastic way to see a musician admired by an established and faithful crowd looking for peace, unity and connection through music and being. 

Gold Fang’s performance was the perfect entry to Michael Franti and Spearhead. His synthesis of reggae, pop, and R&B oiled the joints and minds of audience members with lyrics he explained, “pull at his heart strings”. Gold Frap, like Franti, ultimately raises awareness of conflict and violence; yet supports togetherness and resilience through music.