They so horny

During their first song, Albino! frontman Michael Bello, in characteristic black, suggested they “slow it down for a minute.” I worried for a moment that the heat would be a factor for the 10-piece Afrobeat band and the 100 or so in attendance at the Women’s Club, many of whom occupied the floor.

Bello took a break from the keys to solo sax it for a minute, while the horn section crouched down. But before long Albino! was back in full swing, and despite the rising temperatures, the audience members moved frenetically to the infectious beats and ‘70s funk-influenced horns.

It’s unusual for a Chico show to start on time. Such was the case for this show, which fliers said started at 8:30 p.m. Even more unorthodox is a show starting earlier than announced, especially on a hot, lazy summer evening. Maybe it was the full moon.

At 8 o’clock sharp, Soul Union, a local band featuring Johnny Dutro, Zack Cowan, Walter Folly and Greg Fletcher, threw down some fresh grooves to pave the way for the Afro-beat to come. Intending to make “people move with the message,” the newly formed world fusion band set the stage for San Francisco’s Albino!

Between sets, there was a brief interlude of impromptu African drumming and dancing, and by 9:30 Albino! was laying it on hot and heavy. The group’s stage presence is powerful, and the costumes—mostly embellished, sequined jumpsuits and face paint—evoked an image of a group of car mechanics who stumbled into Burning Man (the band will perform there this year), met the spirit of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti on an ayahuasca trip and left the playa a fully formed Afrobeat band.

The night progressed similarly, with short interludes of mellifluous slower grooves interspersed with the band’s high-energy Afrobeat, a combination of jazz, funk and traditional African beats. Albino!'s heavy horn section (trumpet, plus alto, baritone and tenor sax) complements the endless groove, or repetitive base rhythm, provided by the guitars, drums, bass and congas. The band moved constantly, from choreographed dance routines to switching places on stage to teaching the audience dances or call-backs.

By the end of the night, the crowd had visibly thinned, but the remaining audience members called for more songs, and Albino! delivered. Afrobeat was created as protest music, and Albino! continues that tradition, melding conscious lyrics with hypnotic danceable rhythms to affect sociopolitical change.

And despite the sweltering Chico night, a packed venue and more than two hours of playing and dancing, the still-energetic band played an encore to a screaming, stamping crowd.