Michael Franti and Spearhead at Marymoor Park

Life is no picnic. As the great recession drags on, the war in Afghanistan gets bloodier (and more complicated) and oil plagues the gulf coast - it's hard to smile.

Michael Franti and Spearhead are the cure for the blues, the feel-good band of the decade and wildly talented. I met Michael, guitarist J Boogie, bass player Carl Young and singer Jolene back in March when I won a seat for a private concert in 103.7 The Mountain's music lounge. I was hooked. They are genuinely nice people, and Michael defines warmth and truth. On stage at Marymoor were also the drummer Manas Itene, Dave Shulon on guitar and Raliegh Neal II on keyboards.

Saturday night at Marymoor Park in Redmond was not ideal as far as the weather goes. It had rained pretty much all day, but the air was still and warm. The opening act, the Flobots got the crowd warmed up, but it was Spearhead we were hungry for. I hate to admit it, but I was in the restroom, then getting another glass of wine so I missed their grand entrance! But I was back in my fifth row (!) seat (actually standing) for "Rude Boys Back in Town," and the fun never stopped all night!

Michael is a believer in peace. He has recently opened a yoga retreat in Bali. When the band did the song "Hey World (Don't Give up Version)," I was mesmerized. The song begins "tell me why the grass was greener/years ago I swear it used to grow here/but no more here/ tell me why / on this hill/ all the birds they used to come to fly here/ come to die here....."
The song makes you stop and think, and listen. I couldn't take my eyes off this gentle man.

But hey! Then I felt like a kid again when the band launched into "The Sound of Sunshine," the title cut off their upcoming CD set to drop Sept. 21. As the title implies, it's a happy tune. Out of nowhere, probably 50 beach balls were floating around, being volleyed by the crowd, and I found myself competitively whacking at the things! It was so much fun - to feel so alive.

"Say Hey (I Love You)" put these guys on the map, and of course they broke it out toward the end. To make it even sweeter, Michael called for the all the kids in the audience to come on stage and join in. Wow! There were a lot of kids there, too!! Obviously families dig Spearhead, too! The whole audience joined in while the kids and Michael grooved it out on stage. It was very heartwarming. "Everyone deserves Music," is another killer anthem that had me in tingles!

I have to add my own kudos for J Boogie. I love this guy. He's always so damn happy! When we met, I remarked on his infectious smile, and he said he couldn't help but notice mine! Just a great guy - unpretentious, like Michael. And, he's cute!

Here's my take....in 1996 I saw the Dave Matthews Band for the first time before they were the enormous rock power house that they are today. I was in the second row and it took my breath away. Now, I've met Michael, J Boogie etal, seen them in full action from row 5 - and I predict I'm going to love to tell this tale to my eventual grandkids, because Michael Franti and Spearhead are headed to the center of the musical universe. Go see them NOW!!! I beg and plead of any one reading this. Life got you down? Economy sucks? It's all okay at a Spearhead concert.