Photos and review by: Jason Robey

CHARLOTTE, NC — Wednesday night’s concert at the Visulite was more than just live music. The spectacular lighting coupled with transcendent jams took the audience on a mesmerizing journey of sight and sound, hosted by progressive rock / jam band Dopapod. 

The trip started with a 45-min set by Birmingham, AL quartet The Talismen. The band is new to the scene, but the perfect warm-up for the main act of the evening. Opening with “Jerald With a G,” the group explored hard rock territory with extended prof rock jams reminiscent of King Crimson. Three of the four songs the band played came from their 2019 debut album Jar Full of Something, with “Puddle Jumpin’” currently only available on their latest live album, Live From Saturn. The group blends musicianship and intricate musical themes with fun and playfulness in just the right ratio to make an enjoyable listen as well as a good time live show.

Fans familiar with Dopapod’s live show recognize the typical opening of “Pavlov’s Siren” as the indication that the show is about to take off.  Blasting into the staccato synth intro of “Trickery,” the show was underway with the crowd swaying to the beat under the spinning colored lights. The group wasted no time between songs as they ran through a collection of fan favorites like “Nuff” and “Time Is Funny,” and one of their best-known songs, “Trapper Keeper” with a mind-bending extended jam.

The first surprise of the evening was bringing the Asheville, NC-based soul singer Datrian Johnson, of The Fritz, to the stage for a debut cover of Childish Gambino’s “Redbone.” Johnson slid through his remarkable vocal range on the song, with the band playing a rare slow tempo song with a beautiful vibe.

The band picked the pace right back up with “Numbers Need Humans,” not stopping the music again until the end of the set. Johnson made a return appearance for the encore; a soulful and jam-filled first-time performance of The Beatles’ “Come Together.” Though it was the last week of the current tour, Dopapod are road warriors that will be back out soon, keep an eye on their social media for show updates.