SoFar Sounds Black History Month Show
Ramsess Art Garden
2511 Broadway
Feb. 24, 2024
As February’s Snow Moon lit up the sky, I drifted my way downtown towards the location of the SoFar Sounds Black History Month show
SoFar Sounds reveals the location 36 hours prior, and the line-up just 20 minutes before. It was created after a disgruntled Londoner went to see a show, and, unpleased with his experience, he invited the band to play at his home, and the concept was born. The shows take place in nontraditional music environments, and, luckily for me, the site of this performance was a vine-filled wonderland, a plant life oasis called Ramsess Art Garden.
I was greeted by a SoFar Sounds employee and the sweet smell of wine. The setup was simple: a mic, effects pedals, a mixer, and a laptop. The speakers were tucked among greenery and folding wooden screens. Adults of many ages and backgrounds were seated on floor cushions and chairs with one couple bringing their own lawn chairs. Fingers peeling clementines, uncorked wine bottles, and canned IPAs made a sweet indoor nighttime picnic.
Surrounded by plants, our host Nazelah welcomed us, exclaiming there was “so much oxygen” in the space, then told us the story of SoFar Sounds. The deal tonight was three artists doing 20 minute sets with 10 minute breaks in between, and we were kindly ordered to stay until the end.
The lights lowered, and from the coming from back of the shop I recognized the chords to Oakland rap group Luniz’s “I Got 5 On It.” Cadence Myles came slowly strumming down the aisle to the microphone. She lifted off into En Vogue’s “Don’t Let Go” and had the crowd vibing to her mashup of hits from the two Oakland-based groups — a perfect way to honor local Black music history.
She wore a backwards black hat with sunglasses perched on top and a black sweater with bright pink and green watermelons, along with a black leather jacket with a silver fringed scarf. After an upbeat rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely,” she told the audience that “Everything I do is Black. Everything I do is queer. I’m gonna change my outfit.” She shed the watermelon sweater, revealing a black lacy cape and boasted, “Not all heroes wear capes, but some of us do.”
Nazelah returned to the stage and urged us: “Speak loudly in the language I have given you.” So we clapped and hooted for the multidisciplinary Oakland native, Mungo Baby. He told tales of the streets and rapped some fierce bars along to a beautiful live guitar accompaniment. Mungo Baby injected humor into his brand of rap and had the crowd busting up. He’d lost his auntie to cancer and told us a story about how he had promised her that he wouldn’t swear in his songs. “I guess life’s a b‑word,” he said before dropping into his track, “Life’s a B‑Word.”
We were lifted by a few words from the genuine and endearing shop owner, Malik Ramsess, who is described on the shop website as “resident plant whisperer and art enthusiast” but self-described as “plant whore.” He mentioned that most of the art is his dad’s, then hurried off the stage.
The final musical artist, Hugo de La Lune, summoned our attention with, “when you are ready, the magic will be sitting at your feet.”
He moved the microphone stand away and performed “Hugo’s Prayer” to an electric guitar instrumental. He knelt down and used the pedal to divide his singular voice into a chorus of haunting pitches. He sang from the back of his throat and from the bottom of his heart with themes of religion and hurt from having to go to conversion therapy. He continued to call us in like he was casting a spell. “Focus is a huge tenet of how magic works.”
During his performance of “I Am God and So Are You,” he was transcendent and operatic, holding his hand out and calling directly to us. He then told us that he was off to another party to dance and feel the spirit.
Nazelah gently directed us. “If you ‘B’ed/ Your Own ‘B,’ clean up after yourself.” I stepped back out into the clear moonlit night full of the spirit.
