100 Monkeys, Still Epic without Banana

100 Monkeys, Still Epic without Banana



Energy and excitement filled the room and captivated everyone who showed up at the sold out show of 100 Monkeys at the Showbox Sodo venue on July 29th. The only thing missing was a life size banana, which sadly didn’t make an appearance this performance. To describe the show in a full and complete summary seems impossible, just like catching a glimpse of a shooting star; you saw it, you experienced it, but to explain that feeling and beauty to someone who wasn’t there is a near impossibility. The men who make up the members of 100 Monkeys are guys who I admire for their spirit and talent (which was clearly seen at the Showbox show); of course, their looks don’t ruin the allusion either. Jackson, “Uncle” Larry, Jerad, Ben G, and Ben J, kept the show alive with a solid set of pure music. There was something special and unique in the way 100 Monkeys performed. From the moment they stepped onto the stage and began to play, easing into one song after the other and feeding off dedication and love that was projected from the audience.

Of course, being a band with such a name, something quirky and interesting was bound to take place. In the middle of the set Jackson began announce a project that would be the audiences doing. Audience members would call out song titles/ideas in which the band would make up on the spot; and that they did. Using the subject of ‘road trip’ Jackson took lead in vocals as the rest of the guys began to explore a steady sound of beats and rhythms. The outcome was extraordinary. In just a few seconds from getting their muse these guys made it into a song that, if you heard on the radio, would immediately buy it on iTunes (or download illegally). You cannot go to one of their shows and witness the magic they put on and not consider it as one of your favorite shows of all time.

For a band that formed not too long ago and recently began to explore the possibilities outside of their hometown, they have come a long way. Individually, they continue to do what they please, but when they come together they form an incredible team known as 100 Monkeys.