The Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastopol was electric as The Space Orchestra played!
Sebastian St James leads this wonderful 13 piece Joe Cocker tribute band and there couldn't be a more perfect musical match for the tunes of Joe Cocker and the voice and presence of Sebastian St. James.
The sounds of this band filled the room as did the limited space on the stage, barely being able to accomodate this huge 13 piece band! Consisting of four talented backing vocalists, keys, drums, three piece brass section, bass, guitar, percussions and Sebastian St. James front and center delivering the powerful lead vocals. Sebastians' slightley raspy tones in his voice could not be a more perfect fit for Cockers' body of music. The Space Orchestra played after King Baby opened. I can't comment on King Baby due to my late arrival to the Hopmonk that evening. I saw about half of the last song from them. Long enough to shoot a couple photos of some band members, but that's all.
When Space Orchestras' 13 players packed the Abbey stage, I truly did not know what to expect. Sebastian said that this was only their 7th show together in six years. Unbelievable as it seemed because this large band was so tight as if they'd been playing together for many years. Sebastian shared that every show is dedicated to Stephanie Keys, an original member who lost her fight with cancer. And the only original song in their set is about her.
The 1970 Joe Cocker album, “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” has always been thought of as one of the best live albums of all time. So this bunch of musicians got together about six years ago and it all started out as a one off show, just for fun. Fast forward a few years to August 9th 2024, The Space Orchestra played their 7th show in six years. If you missed this show at the Hopmonk, December 6 & 7, 2024 they'll be playing two fundraiser shows at the Polly Klaas Theatre. Tickets are not yet up for sale but when they are I suggest you get in early because this band is on fire! The tickets for this fundraiser will be $100 each and every attendee will get a schwag bag worth even more from donations for the event.
Today seems to be all about tribute bands, and for me preferring original bands I kept an open mind as I know what Sebastian can do from his original solo material and his other band, The Highway Poets. I've known St. James for a few years now and I adore his solo music. I'm also a big Peter Gabriel fan and his solo work has always reminded me of Gabriel, which is a good thing! After Friday nights' Space Orchestra performance, I'm now a fan of St. James' Joe Cocker music as well. It was a real "feel good" set in The Abbey that night.
Everyone in the band was so pro, from the four amazing backing vocalists to Eric on strings, Adam on keys and the three piece brass section. Mingo Lewis Jr is the Space Orchestra percussionist, and for me, he's a superstar. Lewis reminds me of an octopus when he plays. I heard someone say that Lewis on percussion is like a freak of nature! All in all the set list was great, the players were all tight and superbly talented and St. James is absolutley the correct lead vocalist for this music. The only thing I'd change about this band is I wish Mingo Lewis was at the front of the stage to showcase his playing. It's hypnotic at times. If you get a chance to see The Space Orchestra, it's well worth a look. It's a super fun evening with iconic music played by super talented musicians! Keep your eyes peeled for their upcoming December 6 & 7th fundraiser shows at the Polly Klaas Theatre.
© Cheryl Alterman Photography 2024
Comments