Artist Showcase: Ultraviolet Hippopotamus

Sights: Ultraviolet Hippopotamus @ Bell's Brewery, Kalamazoo, MI (1.29.2010)
Sounds: Ultraviolet Hippopotamus - Live @ Czar's, St. Joeseph, MI (10.19.2007)




I can’t help but close my eyes and dream about the phenomenon known as the Ultraviolet Hippopotamus. I picture an exotic hippo, of the most fluorescent pink and purple colors wading through the rivers and lakes of northern Michigan, splashing and rolling around in the mud. He totes an enormous smile and an air of confidence, stopping every once in awhile to scan his surroundings for intruders. At the drop of a hat, the hippo’s vibrant colors will fade to gray as he disappears into the waters that surround him. Stealthily, he ventures on to some other remote destination, where once again he will flaunt his colors in blissful delight.

You may have your own perception of this rare river cow, but the fact still remains – there is undeniable gravity in the music that the beast swims to. I had my first run in with the Hippo at the 2009 Hoxeyville Festival. I was completely and utterly unprepared for the sounds I would hear that evening. I had caught wind of this band a number of times prior to Hoxey, hearing stories of their increasing prominence in northern and western Michigan, and their ability to send concert-goers into some sort of raucous trance with funky, danceable grooves and a high energy demeanor on stage. Frequent appearances at Bell’s Brewery in Kalamazoo (picture on right), Founder’s and HopCat in Grand Rapids, and a whole slew of Michigan summer festivals have allowed fans to experience this music in some of the most cherished bars, brewpubs, and festival grounds that Michigan has to offer. I personally have had the chance to see UV numerous times since that special night at Hoxeyville, rarely passing up an opportunity to catch a show even if it required an hour’s drive on a weeknight. I can’t help but think of one chilly evening at the annual Harvest Gathering where I was sprinting bare-footed back and forth between stages trying to hear as much UV Hippo and Rootstand as I possibly could… torn amidst a SERIOUS scheduling faux pas in my opinion. Michigan, however, is only a portion of the ground that this band has begun to cover in recent years. Larger Midwest tours have become the norm and just recently, the guys returned home after an 11 gig stint in Colorado. The band has even paired up with jazz fusion giants Garaj Mahal for a billing that you would NOT want to miss. I caught the duo at Papa Pete’s in Kalamazoo that season and it was a night I wish I could recall in greater detail. Due to my buddy Andy B’s preference for whiskey, or “brown water” as he calls it, things get a bit fuzzy that evening. One thing I recall is Russell, one of the band’s two guitarists, standing at the very front of the stage and going absolutely crazy for the music that Garaj Mahal was putting on display. These guys are SERIOUSLY talented musicians and it was cool to see the guys from UV Hippo so psyched about playing with them. UV’s music is oozing with GM influence and there is no doubt that they look up to this band.

But what sort of influences aren’t present in the music of Ultraviolet Hippopotamus? Funk, jazz, fusion, reggae, psychedelic and progressive rock, bluegrass, jam-tronica… no genres go unexplored. And no music is safe from reinterpretation either. Hearing them perform Pink Floyd greats like “Welcome to the Machine”, or the entire “Animals” album will give you a new found appreciation for their ability. They might have one of the most psychedelic versions of “Jessica” by the Allman Brothers Band that I have ever heard. But the covers don’t end here. UV has been known to play tunes by Grateful Dead, Van Morrison, Umphrey’s McGee, and Bob Marley just to give you an idea of how diverse their musical influences really are. And lets not forget about Garaj Mahal (naturally) and my personal favorite, Frank Zappa. Think about it… how many bands are you aware of that have the ability to cover the music of Frank Zappa or Garaj Mahal and to cover it well? Yeah… not that many.

But let’s not allow this to overshadow the Hippo’s uncanny ability for composing original material. This is quite honestly some of the most dance enticing music that my ears have ever experienced. I absolutely PROMISE you, no matter what type of music you are into, that UV will show you a good time… even if that means having to bend over at the end of the night to pick up all the little pieces of your face that have fallen to the floor. The Hippo takes you up and down on a wild ride of funky jams and trance-like grooves that have your body moving in ways you might not have thought possible. The band’s undeclared anthem, “North Coast”, is a fast paced tune rich with bluegrass and americana undertones that pays homage to nearly every Michigan bar, venue, band, festival or landmark that you could possibly think of. And the natives just eat it up. Beyond that, tunes like “Square Pegs, Round Holes” and “Dusty’s Trumpet” are the sort of electro-progressive rock songs that really fuel my passion for this music. The band's humor is often intertwined into their performances as well, teasing the crowd with Star Wars or Top Gun themed guitar riffs. When a band is visibly enjoying themselves onstage, that energy is transferred to the crowd and the vibes are that much more positive. Nobody exhibits this trait like bass guitarist and chief vocalist Brian Samuels. Brian, the founding member of UVH, can be found standing in the center of the stage, wide stance, eyes closed, head swaying to the sounds of his bass, and toting an infectious, pleasurable smile… the same sort of smile that the UV Hippo himself carries with him on his journey throughout Michigan. And then there is Russell James. Russell takes off with some of the most intense guitar improvisation work that you will likely hear anywhere else. He stands poised to the left of Brian, visibly mouthing every note that comes screaming off of his guitar. On Brian's right there is Sam Guidry, another musical giant with a guitar in his hand. These two guitarists give me the same sort of anticipatory feelings that I get when I see Jake Cinninger and Brendan Bayliss play. At any moment either one of them could break into an absolute fury with their instruments. The excitement is hard to bear. Combine this with the percussive presence of Joe Phillion and Casey Jones, then toss in Dave Sanders on keyboards and Moog madness, and you have yourself one powerful group of musicians.

So if you have yet to hear the music of Ultraviolet Hippopotamus, please make a point to do so. You can download UV’s live music free of charge on the Live Music Archive. Or better yet, buy their CD. Or even better yet, go see a show. The fluorescent beast is sure to pop its ears out of the water in a town near you… just be sure to be there when it happens, otherwise you might miss it.