by Donte Kirby
“If you really want to do it nobody can stop you but yourself,” is the advice Terraplane Sun drummer Lyle Riddle gave upcoming musicians when we talked before the band hit the stage and turned a dinner party into a dance party at the World Café Live.
Opening for Terraplane Sun was Pattern Crash, a band from the Tri-State area. Bringing a more traditional alt-rock sound their set was palette cleansing, emphasizing the unique sound of Terraplane Sun. When Terraplane Sun performed each member brought their own energy and charisma to the stage. Riddle spazzing on the drums in the back, bassist Cecil Campanero feeding off the vibe on stage, keyboardist/guitarist/trombonist Gabe Feenberg grooving in his seat and Ben Rothchild and Johnny Zambetti playing off each other and the crowd.
Before their stop in Philly they played in New York. “New York really fucked us up,” explains Rothchild, especially Feenberg who lost his 1952 trombone. Thankfully, a kind man paid it forward and bought Feenberg a new trombone, allowing Philly the pleasure to hear him play- a gift that keeps on giving.
Terraplane Sun’s set included “No Regrets” and “Get Me Golden” which they ended with, although before leaving (and upon request) they played an extra song with the only requirement being “if we play this one song you guys have to dance your ass off in the pit.” A command the World Café Live crowd was happy to oblige.
Terraplane Sun’s full length album should be out in December after it’s done being mixed by Mark Needham who has also worked with Imagine Dragons. The possible title of the album being My Generation Blues, Riddle called the record a “collective of what they’ve done over the past two years,” and what they want their fans to get from the album is to “feel good and move. Boogie a li’l bit.”
My Generation Blues, the possible title and a song on the album, works as a summation for the themes of the album. Riddle explains it as “music’s gotten a little jaded and competitive. People go out to shows and are to cool to dance.” To that the album says “fuck art, lets dance.” A sentiment that was prevalent throughout the show as both Rothchild and Zambetti urged the crowd to dance regularly during the show.
Venice, California’s Terraplane Sun came a long way to put on a show at The World Café Live. And, put on a show they did. For those in attendance thank your luck stars because a band this good won’t be playing settings as intimate as the World Café Live much longer.
