Review: Lotus at the Fillmore Auditorium, 2/3/12

Britt Chester

Freezing temperatures aside, the Fillmore was turned into a dancing sauna, brimming with melodic improvisations and thousands of moving bodies. If Lotus derived their band name from Greek origin, then we all got a taste of the sweet fruit that leaves you in a state of contented forgetfulness. Granted, no one will forget Lotus' first sold out show at the Fillmore last night, but everyone can agree that at least for a brief moment in time, euphoric harmonies played a part in that dream world.

With Lotus playing two full sets, the unified mindset seemed to extend beyond the common thought of the "three Ls" for most real estate markets: "Location, location, location...Lotus." The sound at the Fillmore last night was a bit piercing in certain spots, but a sweet spot could be found standing directly next to the sound engineer (duh?).

Opening the first set with "Spiritualize," the band displayed a chemistry that was impossible to ignore. The commencement couldn't have been more appropriate for the sold-out crowd, giving us a slow building track that set the tone for the night: Rising melodies that barely reach pinnacle before segueing into another well paired track.

The intensity of the first set reverberated through "Tip of the Tongue," where a slow spot, or maybe even a timing mix-up in the guitar chords, felt like an aimless song in search of a crescendo. You know when you see the lead guitarist taking precise steps to the forefront of the stage? That typically signals a change in the beat, and it felt that a few missteps occurred in the opening tracks. The peak, however, came with Mike Rempel absolutely slaying his six-string with an insatiable fervor.

Photo Britt Chester

Guitarist Mike Rempel

"Greet The Mind," preempted the first set's closer of "What Did I Do Wrong," and may have quenched that thirst for intense, high-energy expressions. But many surprises were still in store for the Fillmore, one being a certain cover that would, regardless of whether or not you like the original, send a ghastly shiver from your bouncing shoulders all the way down to your toe-tapping feet.