‘Live at Gathering of the Vibes Music Festival’ by STS9: Just as energetic in concert

Patrick Maguire

Contributing Writer

Sound Tribe Sector 9, otherwise know as STS9, has been back to their usual summer hustle, hitting all of this summer’s liveliest music festivals. Sound Tribe made stops at the Hangout Music Festival, High Sierra Music Festival, a stop at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado and earned a headlining spot at Electric Forest Music Festival with two performances.

STS9 is an electronic jam band that was formed in Atlanta, Ga. STS9 has released 11 full- length albums since 1998. Sound Tribe concerts are a visually intricate experience combining their unique sound with a visualizer that displays a multitude of sensory images.

One of the recordings that STS9 has released recently was their recording from Gathering of the Vibes.

Gathering of the Vibes is an annual music festival in Connecticut. It was was founded after The Grateful Dead’s singer and songwriter, Jerry Garcia, died in 1995 and is held annually to celebrate his life.

STS9 founded their own record label, 1320 Records, that boasts an assortment of artists like Big Gigantic, a hip-hop and jazz instrumental group. STS9 releases many of their live recordings on an album, like their most recent “Gathering of the Vibes.”

STS9 is an electronic jam band that was formed in Atlanta, Ga. STS9 has released 11 full- length albums since 1998. Sound Tribe concerts are a visually intricate experience combining their unique sound with a visualizer that displays a multitude of sensory images.

“Gathering of the Vibes” showcases many of their own songs, but have also included a few cover songs.

Sound Tribe opened up their performance with exceptional energy with “Rent.” It was a high-fire jam with an exceptionally pleasant beat and a fast tempo on the drums.

“Kamuy” is a groovy song that has an especially vibrant rhythm from the guitar. The drums that accompanied the song had a tribal feel. The live version of the song was shorter than other versions but was performed exceptionally well.

STS9 also covered “Shakedown Street” by the Grateful Dead. It was interesting to hear an electronic version of a Grateful Dead song, but the song was played with upbeat rhythm.

One of STS9’s most well known songs, “Circus,” began with a very smooth intro. The song crescendos into a faster paced jam as the song goes on. This recording is slightly more electronic than other versions, but not lacking in any quality.

A psychedelic infused song “Hidden Hand, Hidden Fist” really showcases STS9’s original electronic sound. This song is a mystifying ballad from start to finish and leaves the listener feeling a plethora of emotions. It is hard not to want to get up and dance to this one.

STS9 finished off their performance with an encore of “Moon Socket,” giving a maximum amount of effort. It was a mind-bending dance song from start to finish. It was a first-class way to end their performance for the evening. CT