CONCERT REVIEW: Perpetual Groove @ Neighborhood Theatre – Charlotte, North Carolina

By Ric Hersh

Perpetual Groove – P Groove to fans – was formed back in 2001. The quartet, now based out of Athens, GA, has been a highlight for many on the jam festival circuit in recent years. Since 2003, P Groove has released three albums, including their 2007 release, LIVELOVEDIE. The band masterfully combines rock music with ambient jams, adding finely orchestrated and often comedic covers to live shows for good measure.

For New Year’s Eve 2007 P Groove decided to move up the East Coast from their home base in Georgia to play the Neighborhood Theatre in Charlotte, North Carolina. The theatre partnered with a local party-liner to provide shuttle service to the venue from several area hotels. Despite a perplexing lack of champagne, the Neighborhood Theatre proved a top rate performance space with excellent acoustics (and, to make up for the champagne shortage, a tremendous selection of beer.)

P Groove’s lead guitarist Brock Butler began the show kicking off a short acoustic set with “It Starts Where It Ends” the quintessential track from LIVELOVEDIE. The set continued with high energy acoustic versions of “Under Lock and Key” and “Thinking Those Thoughts.” The band debuted Pink Floyd’s “Mother” to close out the opening acoustic set. This cover seemed to set a standard of excellence for the evening and the collective appreciation of the 800 people in attendance was apparent.

The second set began with the great jam/dance “Sundog,” highlighting the skills of keyboardist Matt McDonald. The band then segued into a funky, solid version of “Breeze.” Drummer Albert Suttle led a solid rendition of “Crapshoot.” P Groove then doubled down into a spacey version of “Three Weeks,” after which, the band invited Will Bradford of Asheville, NC’s SeepeopleS up to the stage for a sing along version of U2’s “Bullet the Blue Sky” to close out the second set.

P Groove took the stage at 11:51 PM to begin the third set. The next mind-bending twenty minutes played out somewhat oddly: Mr. Transistor (Mr. T) -> Fire Alarm -> Fire Alarm Mr. T Jam -> Countdown -> Auld Lang Syne -> Mr. T -> Charlotte Fire Department -> Mr. T.

The “Charlotte Fire Department” made an impromptu appearance as some schmo pulled the fire alarm – probably the same guy sending PBR cans to the ceiling via balloons. Luckily we didn’t have to evacuate the room and the party continued.

The young New Year continued to be a treat for the ears as the band jumped into a dance party cover of Lionel Ritchie’s “All Night Long.” P Groove continued with crowd favorites “TTFPJ” and “Teakwood Betz” featuring bassist Adam Perry. The third set ended with an ambient, fast paced version of “Speed McQueen.”

The first encore began with the opening chords of “Macumba,” sending the already frenzied crowd into pandemonium. Macumba innocently starts with a surf rock, reggae beat about penguins until B.I.G. Brock (Butler) busts into his rap featuring Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” and Beastie Boys “Rhyming and Stealin” back into “Macumba.”

After almost four hours of live music, the evening came to a close with a relaxing version of “Save For One.” We got back on the shuttle and headed to the hotel thoroughly rocked. Perpetual Groove’s NYE show was up there with the best I have seen. If you get a chance to see the band play live, take it. You will leave with a smile on your face and some sore dancing legs.