It was only a few days ago, but the apex of Michael Jackson hysteria was in its one-gloved glory when Sex with No Hands played with Neverland in a tribute to the King of Pop. San Francisco’s most avid MJ fans assembled to remember the time. All epochs in Jackson fashion were represented, from red leather bomber jackets to flowing white button-down shirts and black pants. In the front row, a man proudly held aloft a framed Newsweek cover declaring “The tour. The hype. The hysteria.”In a way, this show was MJ’s own comeback tour of the Bay Area, reenlivened first by Sex with No Hands, a seven member accordion-funk supergroup. Complete with outlandish costumes, laser light shows and keytars, it’s Parliament meets Polka at Pee Wee’s Playhouse. Best known for turning any party into a partay, their sell-out shows are always sweaty slopfests that can only happen in a city like San Francisco, but this particular show could only happen in this fever pitch of Michael Jackson fandom. Two accordions battled over funky bass lines. A keytar was shred centerstage. A dancer deftly moonwalked, spun and gyrated in the center of this ADD Neverland. While their music always conjures a delightful mix of irreverence and enthusiasm, this set in particular left the audience with irrepressible smiles as they danced their faces off. It was a fitting tribute to the power of Michael Jackson’s music and dancing.
No one could be a bigger fan of Michael Jackson than the Bay Area’s own Michael Jackson Tribute Band, Neverland. Their name conjures up fascination with the bizarre, nervousness about sleepovers and intrigue surrounding a place where time seems suspended at age 10. Neverland played through the pain in their second show ever. They were thrust into the spotlight by the sudden death of the King of Pop five days after their first show. Their show was splashed across every weekend preview in town and was probably the first press this rag tag team of MJ-loving musicians had ever received. Somehow they avoided Animal Collective’s fate and did not cross the line of overexposure into blogosphere backlash.
Neverland is far too sincere for that anyways. A true tribute group, they go beyond spectacle to deliver a sophisticated recreation of Michael Jackson’s powerful sound, complete with five lead vocalists, four horns and a six piece rhythm section! As you’d expect from superfans, they are a well-studied super group. While the horns got everyone to blame it on the boogie, the vocalists really shone as they took on Michael Jackson’s gifted singing style. On most songs, they took on MJ’s disarming falsetto and gritty growl. The most affecting was when all five of them came together to sing “I’ll Be There.” If you closed your eyes and really went with it, it was almost like MJ was there. And everyone in the audience really went with it. The energy was earnest, we still hadn’t heard any autopsy reports, we were practically in Michael’s Giving Tree at Neverland as we danced to the full range of the King of Pop’s catalog. With 2 inductions to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 13 Grammys, 13 number on singles and the sale of over 750 million records and the best-selling album of all-time, there was no shortage of classic jams. Per their myspace page, Neverland is available for your next public or private event…Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough Office Christmas Parties!
Sex with No Hands is not a one-night stand kind of band. Catch them July 25 at Summer Meltdown at Café du Nord with Super Adventure Club & Griddle. They’ll finally get to play their accordion version of “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” that they’ve been dreaming of.
Sex With No Hands Upcoming Shows:
July 25: Summer Meltdown at Café Du Nord with Super Adventure Club & Griddle
August 18: Elbo Room with Antioquia
--Jenna Glass
July 8, 2009
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