Concert Review: Brownout at Blues on the Green
Review & Photos by Victoria Allen
Brownout was the epic headliner that closed out the night for day 2 of Blues on the Green! Their highly anticipated performance had fans rushing up to the barricades cheering fueled by pure excitement!
This now 10-man band is known for playing Latin psych-funk. As the sun faded away, the area near the barricades transformed into a dance floor as many people couldn't help but move to the beat! The group initially formed in Austin back in 2003 and has a long running history in the music scene, not just locally but nationally recognized as well. The band has multiple albums out and has garnered three Austin Music Awards. They are dedicated to keeping old school funk alive for generations to come.
The band opened with a strong start, performing many of their top hits. "African Battle" is a song with groovy beats and strong instrumentals, which was a fantastic way to kick off the last performance of the night. The band opened with several very lively, upbeat tunes. Their song "Homenage" is an awesome Latin infused song that is impossible not to dance to. Most of their instrumentals are very fun and groovy - Brownout isn't known as Austin's premiere party starters for nothing. The group has developed an original style of music that incorporates many styles of music. Many of the songs have charted over 1 million plays on Spotify and their consistency has built them a loyal fan base.
The band performed many hits from their most recent 2020 album, Berlin Sessions. The album features a unique blend of music genres ranging from rock and psych to Latin funk and Breakbeat. There's something for everyone to enjoy on the album and I got to witness this in real time at Blues on the Green. Their music is written to make a statement which can be heard in the lyrics and even many of their album titles such as Fear of a Brown Planet. The sensational song "Shut Em Down" was played live during the event and is the top song on that album. The instrumentals in the song slowly build up to a really intense beat and creates a cool, somewhat laid back groove. Fear of a Brown Planet was inspired by Public Enemy's aggressive, revolutionary spirit. The group is not scared to stir the pot or rock the dance floor!
Lead singer, Alex Marrero, pumped up the crowd and kept the energy elevated as the band dived into a killer cover of "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath. It's very iconic considering that the band released a Black Sabbath inspired album back in 2016 titled Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath. The original 9-man band collaborated with Alex on their highly successful Brown Sabbath records in the past. It's amazing seeing how all the instruments unite on stage to produce incredible music!
Brownout has performed at many music festivals including Bonnaroo, High Sierra Music Festival, Pickathon, FFFFest, Bear Creek Music Festival, Utopia Festival and Pachanga Fest. The group can now add Blues on the Green to their impressive lists of performances! This band's music can be heard across multiple music platforms.
STAY UPDATED WITH BROWNOUT!
