This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk honors the anniversaries of landmark albums that have shaped the course of music and culture.
Did we really squeeze the big sound of Living Colour behind the Tiny Desk? Yes, we did. And, yet, the band lost none of its intensity at a slightly lower volume.
Living Colour starts with “Cult of Personality,” the shot heard around the world, but spends the rest of the set celebrating 35 years of Time’s Up. The album planted a flag for Black rock bands inspired by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Motown and hardcore-punk pioneers Bad Brains, which gets a heartfelt shout out here before “Time’s Up.” Guitarist Vernon Reid‘s sonic bag of tricks is on full display as are the deep grooves of drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish. Corey Glover’s voice cuts through it all.
Will the smaller setting inspire the band to trade in its equipment truck for a van and smaller amps? Perhaps, but this performance shows that, at any sound level, Living Colour commands attention and respect for its past and present.
SET LIST
- “Cult of Personality”
- “Pride”
- “Love Rears Its Ugly Head”
- “Time’s Up”
- “Solace of You”
MUSICIANS
- Corey Glover: vocals
- Vernon Reid: guitar, background vocals
- Doug Wimbish: bass, background vocals
- Will Calhoun: drums
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Bobby Carter
- Director/Editor: Maia Stern
- Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
- Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame
- Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
- Production Assistant: Dora Levite
- Photographer: Grace Raver
- Tiny Desk Team: Lars Gotrich, Ashley Pointer
- Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
- VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins