Floyd - When I attended FloydFest in July, I never envisioned I would get the opportunity to see great bands such as Old Crow Medicine Show, the Levon Helm Band, and the North Carolina-based band the Mantras.  The crowd was captivated, the bands were enthralling, and the sun was brutal.  However, my experience of witnessing such talent and skill is definitely one for the books.  When the Magazine33 team setup camp next to the Mantras, it was as if I got an inner look at the musical personalities meshed together that evolve into a sound of methodical funk.  Since the Mantras allowed us onstage, we were fully submerged in their performance, and I was able to see the different flavors of skill, much like a layer cake composed of different instruments and composites of abilities that create the Mantra’s framework.  With many different influences, ranging from Jimi Hendrix, Phish, and Widespread Panic, the Mantras hoisted intricate, musical diversions that were indicative of their closeness as a band, to which they claimed was the key to their evolution as a group.  With their recent release of their new album Dharland this year, the listener can envision what is like be a magical, musical trip.  There are so many ingredients that anyone can relate to that I cannot wait to see what they will do next and where they will go…

The Mantras consist of Keith Allen (guitar, vocals), Marcus Horth (guitar, vocals), Brian Tyndall (bass, synthesizer, vocals), Justin Loew (drums), and Brent Vaughn (percussion, vocals).  Since their unification in 2005, I mentioned earlier that they feel they are now in a place where they have tackled some of the earlier issues in a band that can disrupt the creative process, and have since been able to expand and move forward with the level of the music they seek to produce.  Keith Allen’s sandy vocals utter the lyrical brilliance and truthful analogies to the crowd while he maneuvers his guitar's precision and delicacies through his fingertips.  Marcus Horth’s interpretative renditions pair beautifully with Allen’s as he creates something from his guitar at unexpected moments, sliding across the strings to create magnetic improvisation across the neck.  During the Mantras off time, as we would be gathering under the shade of the trees, talking and taking breaks from the madness.  During jokes and nonsensical conversation, we talked about the contributions of each instrument, and how some people are simply born to play a particular instrument.  Brian Tyndall is one of those people.  He can maneuver the bass and insert his energy into his intended movements with such a natural ease that makes playing the bass look easy.    

Along with the fantastic bass that provided a phenomenal backbone, the drums and percussion added an interpretative rhythm section that kept rolling from one feeling to another, showcasing and adding beats to develop concentrated configuration.  Justin Loew glided across the drums, pushing every ability he possessed to create beats that a musical body would identify.  He would constantly adjust his tempo in each hand while maintaining perfect timing to create an affect that was groovy.  With his Latin influence from the congas, Brent Vaughn twisted the drumbeats with a Cuban and Latin zest.  He would switch from the drums to the congas and back again where he created insane skill and timing that I wondered how one person could create fluid movements while making not a single timing error.  The entire rhythm section was monumentally fascinating, and it literally blew me away that musicians can interweave skill and sound that were intentionally intricate yet cohesive.

The entire experience of the Mantras proved to be a series of enlightenments that to some degree is hard to completely convey.  After listening to their CD, I have found new attributes that keep compounding my descriptions of their music.  You simply have to hear them, and you would probably come up with an entirely different point of view.  Yet, with the fan base they have created, it is no surprise that they are found moving across many different areas and easy to adore.  Their next festivals include Camp Barefoot and the Getdown Music Festival where they are the headlining act during Labor Day weekend.  I am sure they will bring the intensity that I witnessed at FloydFest.  For further interest, show information, and current events about The Mantras, please visit TheMantras.com.  It might have worked out that we might not have met; however, we were in each others immediate vicinity, in each other’s lives, and it was an honor to be a recipient of their graciousness that allowed me to write an article to represent a level of talent and quality that I was fortunate enough to experience. 

By Director and Correspondent: Helen Brown

Although originally from Marion Junction, Alabama, Helen has been living in Virginia for the last three years because she absolutely loves the Blue Ridge Mountains.  She attended Emory and Henry College in Emory, Virginia, gaining a degree in Philosophy and Psychology.  Helen moved to Charlottesville on a whim because of the unique music scene, interest in the food and wine Industry, and the desire to incorporate music into her professional aspirations.  She is looking forward to listening to an array of eclectic music, observing the local talent, and meeting some interesting people while working with the Magazine33 team!  See you around town ...