The lights dim, the crowd hushes and the stage lights shine bright onto the band. The crowd watches in awe as the band begins to pluck and strum away at their instruments. The strings are played with such elegance, and at such an advanced level, the band members work perfectly together and all flow amazingly well together.
Watching this performance was an astounding and moving experience for me. I have seen this group perform before, but I was very distracted and wasn’t paying attention back then. The purple glow from the floor illuminating the band members really added to the whole performance. You have to be there to truly immerse yourself to understand their talent, skill and experience. Going to see this group perform was really interesting and I am so glad I went.
I was surprised by the performance; it resonated with me in a way that I had previously not thought possible. I don’t usually listen to the style of music that this group specializes in. It is not as mainstream as the other music genres and that makes that type of music special and unique.
The group’s name and style of music are based on the legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt. He was a great Gypsy Jazz musician who was arguably one of the greatest to ever touch a guitar and this style of music(If not the greatest, sometimes known as the king of gypsy jazz). He greatly revolutionized the genre and brought more light to the style of music.
Reinhardt was one of the first European jazz musicians to make a major contribution to jazz guitar (and was by far the most famous and popular). During his career, he had written around 100 songs. He had an innovative approach when it came to playing gypsy jazz, this made him very popular among many people.
It’s interesting that this group was inspired by Reinhardt, and it makes them even more special. Watching this group perform inspired me and made me want to listen to this type of music more often.
The beginning of the performance had started with just the members who would play the instruments. When they had begun to play, it felt like the music would hang in the air and dance around the crowd. It was a surreal experience. The music from the instruments themselves was just out of this world, and it was like magic.
It was truly mind-boggling that this band is a local band. It’s great that they are based near Ann Arbor and they are so talented. They can draw in from many different audiences which will bring in more people to Ann Arbor, which is great for the community.
When the vocalist Katie Smith came in, it made it so much better. The whole group worked together so smoothly and so flawlessly. It just made so much sense and was so interesting to watch. The notes from the singer would hang in the air all around you, as would the song itself.
Djangophnoqie being a local band is great for the culture and community within Ann Arbor. When they do local shows they bring in more people from different areas and different crowds because of their music. I can definitely see myself in the future going to another Djangophnoqie performance. And I encourage anyone and everyone to go and check them out.
Because they are a unique one-of-a-kind talent, I have never seen a group quite like this, and it was interesting to go to that show because it opened my eyes to a new type of music I have never experienced.
Looking back on the experience, it was so moving, and I am so glad that I attended the performance. Everything was remarkable– the room that we were in with the lights turned down low. The music hung in the air surrounding the crowd when the band instruments began to be played. The vocalist Katie Smith added perfectly to the end of the performance.
The fact that this band was local and this good was so cool to me. It is great that they can and will bring in more people to Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas because of their talent. I encourage anyone thinking about attending a show of theirs to go check it out and see what they are all about. I am already looking forward to the next time that I am able to attend a Djangophonique show again.
