Lamasa Para Singko

Regardless of who you are, whether you are a close friend, a fellow activist or even just a perfect stranger, or perhaps someone who mistook me for Rasheed Wallace, if I have ever spoken to you for any decent amount of time, then I am sure I have complained in someway about my brother Kuri (Jeremy) and his banding.

Of course when I say banding I'm not referring to (prepare yourself geek joke on the horizon) to "banding" from the game Magic: The Gathering. But rather to the activity that Kuri regularly does, playing in bands, which keeps him from doing his chores around the house, or makes him impossible to get up in the morning. Kuri is currently in at least three bands that I know of, Freedom Fries (ska), Last Standing All-Stars (reggae) and Table for Five (reggae) and also allegedly participates in several other musical groups, such as UOG Jazz Band, George Washington Alumni Band, and he's probably also the trombone player for Rush's latest tour. (gi minagahet, ti hu tungo' kao gaige un trombone na danderu gi i inetnon Rush).

I had the privilege of listening to Kuri's band Table for Five play at the 2nd Isla Art Fair last Friday. They were very very good. I had heard them play twice before and the sound for both was pretty terrible, and so I wasn't impressed. But for months people have been telling me about how great they are, and so I was glad to finally get a chance to listen to them live, with some decent sound. They were very good, they played the best version of "Iron Lion Zion" I've ever heard. And they even played a new original song they've been working on called "Ipan."

Last week though, Kuri and his banding were dealt a serious blow, when he lost his Monday gig at Mac and Marti's and then lost his Wednesday gig at The Rack. The only paid banding that Kuri does now is Friday's at The Venue. Although they are trying to look at the mas ma'lak na banda gi este na homhom na mapagahes, and argue that this will give them time to practice more and work on original songs, they are still trying to find more gigs. If anyone out there is looking for a great reggae band for parties or for their bar or club, let me know. They are affordable and can even bring their own sound equipment for parties!

I'll spend the rest of the post, sharing pictures of Kuri's band and some videos of them playing: