Until his show at the Aztec Theatre was announced, I was not familiar with Ginger Root whatsoever. But, man, was I instantly intrigued by him as an artist after looking him up online. Not only did I hear so much vibrant, funky music but I was immediately drawn to the cinematic world he’s set up through his music videos.
Each video has this remarkably accurate 80s VHS aesthetic that fits the songs perfectly and they cohesively connect so well. It made me think how exciting it would be to see anything close to that represented live on stage, and, man, did he deliver. His SHINGBANGUMI Tour stop here in San Antonio was one of the most creative and unique visions put to a show I’ve seen all year.
The project is spearheaded by singer and multi-instrumentalist Cameron Lew, who was joined on tour by drummer Matt Carney and bassist Dylan Hovis There was one other member on stage who wasn’t a part of the music itself – it was a videographer using a VHS camera that set up an imaginative element that I’ve never seen in a live performance.
On both sides of the stage were these old-school boxy TVs that I’m sure we all remember growing up, and I initially assumed they’d just be props to fit the aesthetic that Lew has made signature to his project. But with someone as creative as Lew is, of course, they were more than just that.
The videographer’s VHS feed directly linked to these TVs, and he moved around on stage throughout the entire show, filming with his camera as if it were its own instrument. He captured close-up angles of the musicians, and shots of the crowds between songs, zooming in on their cheers and all their crazy signs.
It was a great way to not only get the crowd involved directly with the show but also add to Lew’s visual style seamlessly.
On the musical side of things, it was equally as inventive. The multi-instrumentalization on display was incredible; Lew was playing a range that I could not recognize for the life of me but all created so many unique sounds. They got started with the funk right away with “Better than Monday, “All Night,” and “Out of State,” all of which had fantastic groovy breakdowns.
Lew had a great bit throughout the show with how he expressed himself while performing but also with how he talked to the audience. He humorously mixed up the city names, first saying New York City, then Toronto, and then a complete wild card of Fresno, California. Finally, he correctly said San Antonio, to which the crowd responded with loud cheers.
They played several of the intros to Lew’s music videos for the songs off “SHINGBANGUMI” to set up the next song, often introducing them with a simple, “Watch this.” He also joked about the smaller crowd size, comparing it to an airline experience.
“… Everyone’s got like a free business class seat, so you’re not like shoulder to shoulder with everyone, you actually have a lot of breathing room,” Lew said. “We did that on purpose … people might have like a hard time with concerts with the space of being next to shoulder, but everyone’s got premium economy, you’re welcome.”
He continued to play a mix of lively tracks like “Over the Hill,” and “Giddy Up”, the latter performed with a cowboy hat as you do in Texas. He performed his most popular track “Loretta” and he invited the opening act, Amaiwana, to join him on “Loneliness.”
During “Only You,” he started a chant with the crowd, after which he rated San Antonio’s crowd participation with a solid 7. It felt much better though after he revealed it was better than Dallas which he rated a 6.
After putting aside his bit for the moment and thanking the crowd for being there, Lew had everyone put their phones away for “Show 10” to fully be present and the three members just killed it with such danceable vibes. The three musicians came out for a final encore, playing two final songs before closing out another night at the Aztec.
From everything to the instrumentation, the music videos, the stage design, and the connection with the audience, it was so special to see an auteur like Cameron Lew showcase their true vision in a live performance as Ginger Root.
