Thievery Corporation – The Outernational Music Tour

Story and photos by Brittany Somerset 

Back in 2000, the late audiophile Tim Haslett wrote a review of Thievery Corporation’s 12” single, Shaolin Satellite, “I can say with some confidence that this splendid piece of music represents a form of dance music that has yet to be labeled.”

Just as Tim Haslett was perplexed as to how to define their sound, Thievery Corporation’s dynamic duo Rob Garza and Eric Hilton were also initially baffled by the ever-increasing demands from their fan base for live performances. They considered themselves studio engineers rather than rock stars. Rather than resort to using wacky clothes or laser light shows – like so many of their ambient and electronic, gear-based peers – they came up with ways to make their live act much more engaging than simply taking the studio to the stage.

Enter Zeebo and Rootz, two Rastafarian brothers who provide the rude boy vocal snippets on songs like “38.45 (A Thievery Number),” and a host of other artists who perform for the band.

Thievery Corporation, whose name cheekily admits to sampling artists and dialogue they admire, have coined their own genre, which was solidified with the release of Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi, a hip hybrid of groovy, swank, cool, cultish, authentic, intelligent, down tempo, Brazilian, bossa nova, dub and chillout beats. An additional overlay of ethereal, ethnic and reggae-esque vocals provide the listener with an experience that is minimal, yet luscious – a sensory stoner trip through time and space. Their albums are soundtracks for the outer-galactic urban hipster.

Over the years their merry troupe has expanded to include a live sitar player, Rob Myers. Additionally, they’ve been joined on stage by countless performers, including both Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, percussionists Frank Orrall and El John (John Nelson), animated Bass guru Ashish “Hash” Vyas and brilliant Brazilian acoustic guitarist Seu Jorge, to name a few. Their performances are sometimes even additionally enhanced by belly dancer, Yasmin.

Thievery Corporation’s latest endeavor, the Outernational Music Tour, was comprised of six domestic dates beginning in San Francisco and concluding at the Merriweather Post Pavilion outside of Washington D.C. Opening acts included TV on the Radio, Ladytron, Turntables on the Hudson, and Federico Aubele.

Additionally, the World Food Programme was an integral part of the Outernational Music Tour. The WFP had representatives on site at each show to help raise awareness of the plight of world hunger, and proceeds from ticket sales were donated to their worthy cause.

Watching a Thievery show gives you that winsome feeling of running away with the circus. After nearly a decade of careful cultivation, meticulous development, and decadence, Thievery Corporation continues to eschew definition and defy stereotypes. Their music is as eclectic, stylish, charismatic, genial, witty, sophisticated and worldly as they are.

After the conclusion of the Outernational Music Tour, Thievery Corporation will put the finishing touches on their fifth studio album, tentatively titled Radio Retaliation, this September.