As soon as I saw the Roots Picnic advertised on Okayplayer I started making plans to head down to philly for the show. At the same time I was happily daydreaming of what this Roots Picnic would look, feel, sound, and taste like. The music events I experienced while living in philly were comfortable, intimate, and personal- like hanging out at your favorite cousin's house on a lazy afternoon. I had no doubt the Roots would put together an eclectic and seriously fun picnic.First things first I just have to say- the day of the picnic, June 7, was a freakishly hot day with temps close to 100. The heatwave did not put on a damper on the fun but it did put a glossy layer of sweat on everything. But really everything is better in the summer. The sudden heat did make it necessary to dress like you were exploring the Amazon or deserted on a tropical island near tahiti. The coolest people were decked out in sarongs, bathing suits, big ol sun hats, sandals or even bare feet. Shirts were off, shades were a necessity, and water was the #1 accessory. The most popular tee of the day was anything Obama related. In between music acts we all flocked to the pavillion/dj tent (which was air conditioned) as it became the unofficial cool down lounge.
The picnic offered a musical sample of some highly creative groups. DeerHoof, who I was wholly unfamiliar with, shook things up quite a bit with their indie rock/pop/hybrid sound. They definitely offered a unique (and very loud) sound that stood apart from every other act. They reminded me of some bands I used to listen to in the 90s when i was loving bratmobile, shonen knife, and pizzicato five.
As Mdot mentioned, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings expertly showed off their classic, soulful sound. Sharon Jones works her powerful voice with so much finesse you would swear you had been transported back to the heyday of classic soul. Sharon Jones= timeless sound. The band kept it real classy with a serious serving of funk and soul. They were the only musical group that inspired picnic- goers to couple up and start dancing. Plus one of the band members (guitarist) was sportin a very svelte three piece suit. I can't imagine how he survived the vicious heat in that getup but he sure looked the part.After the sun had set and The Roots had performed their final exuberant set, I heard some heavy, heavy bass coming from the dj tent. I had a hunch it was diplo so we rushed into the tent to catch some bmore club classics mixed in with dance tracks so raw you couldn't help but shake n pop. Diplo played an energetic and crowd-moving set that featured Rye Rye and Naeem (from Spankrock) on vocals. There was also a very talented male RnB singer who was on the mic quite a bit. We had no clue who this singer was but he did have a philly beard so we assumed he was a local artist. Folks were wu-tanging and two stepping as a life sized elmo circulated through the crowd pausing for pictures and high fiving picnic-goers. Diplo tore through songs with a ferocious energy that made his music impossible to ignore and he successfully turned the pavillion into a sweaty baltimore house party.
All the rumors are true- the Roots always deliver a phenomonal live set and their picnic delivered a truly talented ensemble of musicians. My day dreams about the picnic may have been slightly different but the outpouring of energy and love from all of the acts involved surpassed my expectations. -CleverGypsy
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