I got soul, and I'm superbad
photo by John Van

On Saturday night, Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings came back to Houston and lit the room at the Continental Club on fire. The house was packed, people were dancing, and drinks were flowing. Plus there was a guy selling BBQ sandwiches in the back room.

The band was super-tight, with the addition of three new (to me) members on tenor sax, baritone sax, and drums. The drums and bass were absolutely locked in, allowing plenty of room for the other instrumentalists to riff, but the real star of the show was Sharon Jones. She came out with such energy and fervor that you couldn't help but have a good time. They played for approximately two hours, never letting up with the funk, although they did slow down the pace occasionally to let people catch their breath.

If you've never seen Sharon Jones (or The Dap-Kings in any of their various incarnations - the Sugarman 3, the Mighty Imperials, Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra...) you owe it to yourself to go and get funked. It's absolutely one of the best possible uses for your money and time - you'll be entertained, and probably get some exercise - hell, I danced for most of the time, even on my busted knee.