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Robert Randolph and the Family Band is a band unlike any you will find. Jam band meets charismatic church worship group. Even listening to live recordings could not prepare for the intense experience of watching, listening, and feeling them perform.

The Cain's Ballroom is the ideal place to see such a band. The venue is small; only holding 1800 people in standing room only. The Cain's spews nostalgia and history. Home of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, it has seen artists from every genre (including the Sex Pistols, GWAR, and U2) since its glory days as the home of Texas swing. If you could pick any venue to see the band of your choice, The Cain's would be the place.

The night was perfect for hanging outside waiting for the doors to open. The fans who were in line were friendly, and everyone was talking about their experiences seeing Robert Randolph and the Family Band, or how excited they were to be seeing them for the first time. Doors opened at 7:00 and for the next two hours, everybody mingled and there was no such thing as a stranger. Everybody was there to have a good time, and the vibe was great from the minute you walked in the door.

At 9:00, the show finally kicked off with “Homecoming”. Robert Randolph and the Family Band don't do things like most bands. They jammed for a solid five minutes before the first vocals even started. It seemed like the entire show was one long song. The band just jammed into and out of each song with a fluidity that defied explanation. There cover of “Jesus is Just Alright” was exceptional. Around 10:00 they broke for an intermission. Organist Jason Crosby remained on stage and launched into a rousing medley of saloon tunes and classical piano pieces. Classical piano has never been more energetic and entertaining. During “Shake Your Hips”, they invited enough ladies out of the audience to fill the stage. As they jammed, the danced. Robert Randolph switched between his pedal steel guitar and an electric guitar multiple times during the show. At one point, while playing the electric, he began asking audience members if they new how to play. They started pulling guys up on the stage and giving them the chance to play with the band. The first three guys up got a couple of minutes, a thank you, and directions back to the crowd without doing much of anything impressive. Finally, a guy got up there who new what he was doing. The band was impressed, and they began jamming. After about three minutes, they  launched into “Deliver Me”, which the guest guitarist seemed to know fairly well. He got to play out the song, dive into a guitar solo, and jam out for a few more minutes before heading off stage. Most fans would be happy to get up and sing a few bars, but the chance to be part of the band is a gift most people are never offered. The five guys in the band truly seem to enjoy themselves. They were all smiles. It seemed like they were as happy to be there as the fans were to see them.

Special would not begin to explain the experience of seeing Robert Randolph and the Family Band live.

Justin Wright
03/04/07