Songs from the swampy south to the Serengeti

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Lightning illuminated the summer sky last Friday, while local favorites Eugene Snowden and Friends along with rock hybrid Outformation lit up The Social in downtown Orlando.

While the crowd was small, a hodgepodge of jam devotees along with random downtown walk-ins, the sound and energy was large.

Snowden jumped right into the spirit-shaking, spellbinding mix of Motown soul, funk and gospel grooves. “Lifting Me,” a track he normally lays down when fronting The Legendary J.C.’s, prompted folks to leave their bar stools and dance in the pit. Shoulder-swaying soon followed, as the infectious beat began to permeate.

A djembe drum was broken out for a pulsating African song and in just seconds the club took on the essence of the Serengeti.

Snowden belted out a chant which was echoed back by those fully feeling the tribal flavor. At one point during the jam, Snowden held the djembe drum upside-down and let the heavy sounds reverberate off the mike.

Always the spontaneous showman, Snowden left the stage mid-song, microphone in hand, and made his way down to mingle and connect with the people. All the while, he sang out lyrics like a preacher riling his congregation.

Up next, Outformation swooped in with their backwoodsy front porch rock. These boys, who hail from the Peach State, spread the southern hospitality vibe like a fresh can of Georgia jam.

They set the tone opening with “Frenchy’s Theme,” an instrumental rollercoaster of aural pleasure.

“Toy’s Song” appeared to tell the tale of band members carrying on the legacy of music after the death of a member, confirming that those groups slapped with the label of jam band are more multifaceted than one would think. Whether this story within the song is true, for me the lyrics — “Now those cowboy songs play in the bars/And at night they’re even comin’ from the stars,”— conjured up images of a hillbilly rock heaven.

A few more groove-inspired songs later, a percussion-palooza erupted when Snowden came back on the scene to sit in with members of Outformation. The collaborative effort spawned a funky bass line  and Afro-Cuban beat, sprinkled with a Latino flare.

What followed was a jazzy-veined, delta blues solo keyboard piece by Outformation’s CR Gruver, which reinforced that these southern gentlemen aren’t afraid to share the spotlight with each other.

Throughout the high-energy performance the guitarist, keyboardist and even drummer got in on the vocal stylings. No cocky frontman here, just music men thinking outside of the formulaic box.

The element of surprise clung heavy in the air because no instrument was off limits. I was pleased to see Outformation play the underrated wind chime, claves, and a gourde instrument wrapped in a net of seashells. Even the triangle and tambourine were dusted off and put to good use. It was refreshing to see the triangle being played by someone not sporting a marching band uniform or bolo tie.

A cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Gimme Back My Bullets” prompted a sing-along and even though it didn’t deliver the same Ronnie Van Zant revelry, it still conjured up memories of a time when ‘70s southern rock dominated. I guess we can count our blessings that it wasn’t the inebriated-biker anthem “Free Bird.”

Closing the show with “Glad,”  a rock jam that switches tempo with wailing guitars, seemed appropo considering the grinning mugs donned by concert goers. Some fans appeared dazed, having just been sucked up and spit out of a tornado of tenacious tunes. Although, one too many Blue Moon beers and IPAs could have contributed to this pond of placid people.

Both Eugene Snowden and Friends, and Outformation resurrected the idea that improvisation is still the heartbeat of music that will live on, with resilience, like a sturdy Georgia oak.

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