Stanford University Live presents Fantastic Negrito
Frost Amphitheatre
Stanford University, 351 Lasuen St, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
7:30 PM, Thursday, July 8, 2021

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[7:40 PM] {Introduction and announcements by Stanford Live's Chris Lorway, then Greg Stern, CEO of SFJAZZ; band out without FN}

1. [7:43 PM] (walk-on music for FN) >
2. [7:44 PM] Chocolate Samurai >
3. [7:49 PM] I'm So Happy I Cry
4. [7:57 PM] Working Poor
   [8:01 PM] {FN picks up the acoustic guitar, tells us about writing the next tune while busking at Powell St BART}
5. [8:03 PM] She Get's What She Wants
6. [8:07 PM] An Honest Man
   [8:09 PM] {FN takes off the guitar; later, he puts it back on while setting up the next tune}
7. [8:19 PM] (new tune) ? Rollin'
8. [8:23 PM] ? “Wake up the Dead”
   {FN takes off the guitar, picks up a tambourine}
9. [8:33 PM] Lost in a Crowd
   {FN introduces the band}
10. [8:45 PM] In the Pines
11. [8:54 PM] (new tune about his white ancestor from 1759, Elizabeth Gallimore) “No Sneakin' 'Round Here”
    {FN: uh, they're giving me the sign, we only got one more tune y'all}
12. [8:58 PM] Plastic Hamburgers
    [9:02 PM] {show ends – FN: We're getting kicked offstage}

• Gulio Cetto: bass;
• Xavier Dphrepaulezz AKA Fantastic Negrito: acoustic guitar, tambourine, vox;
• Courtney Knott: keyboards, vox;
• Tomas Salcedo AKA The Chilean: guitar, harmony vox;
• Bryan Simmons: keyboards, vox;
• James Small: drums.

Tonight's show is a lot less crowded than the Redman-Hussain gig last week. Maybe 2/3 full at most? Somehow I'm not surprised that the Stanford crowd isn't all that hip to Fantastic Negrito … might make them feel uncomfortable to listen to the truth in his lyrics. Happily, the folks who are here generally seem enthusiastic, good for them!

DJ WKND GRL spins tunes for us while we wait for the show to begin: groovy 70's jazz and soul funk.

It's been a pretty hot day for the peninsula (high 80's!), but once the sun drops behind the coastal range it cools down nicely. Perfect weather for an outdoor gig!

The show is pretty good, but not enough folks want to dance, and those that do make the polite move and head for the side aisles. Phooey. I'd rather have everyone up off their asses. FN tries to get the audience to sing along during the first tune or two, but it's apparent that we don't know the words and we're not ready to belt it out. Steeeeeeerike! FN suggests more than once that folks would enjoy themselves more if they got up and danced, but not much changes on the aud side. It would probably help a lot if they turned up the PA – the visceral thump of the bass and slap of the drums can do wonders at convincing folks that it's time to move their feet, but the volume stays low – barely loud enough for to block out the idle chit-chat of folks sitting within 30 feet. Another bummer. Things improve as the show chugs along, but it all ends way too soon, with a hard shut down just barely after 9 PM. Apparently Stanford has a noise curfew now. Pathetic!

I'm psyched to see FN again sometime, but not at white bread Frost.

Big thanks to Ting for the photo gallery!

Whoa! This section is incomplete for now, sorry!

Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2021 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2021 event list! ☸ On to the next event!