As a mysterious synth tone filled the air, Lettuce commenced their set with "Trapezoid," the lead track off of their 2019 GRAMMY-nominated album Elevate. By the time the recognizable anthemic horn line kicked in—courtesy of Ryan Zoidis on saxophones and effects and Eric "Benny" Bloom on trumpet—the crowd, fully settled back in after the set break, was energized and ready for the seamless, unpredictable, future-funk voyage Lettuce has built their reputation on over the past 30+ years.
The band followed with the uptempo James Brown & the J.B.s-esque "Last Suppit," before they were joined onstage by Lonnie Jordan, founding member of '70s funk hitmakers, War. The unexpected sit-in started with War's breezy "L.A. Sunshine" from their 1977 album Platinum Jazz, a poignant moment in light of the recent wildfires in Los Angeles.
While the audience recognized the setlist mainstay “Slippin' into Darkness" from Lettuce’s 2012 album Fly, eyes lit up throughout the crowd as it was revealed that the track was a War original. The energy permeated the band—from the locked-in rhythm section pocket of Adam Deitch on drums and Erik "Jesus" Coomes on bass, to the beaming smile of guitarist Adam "Shmeeans" Smirnoff (who had worked with Jordan backstage to flesh out arrangements).
Just as Jordan’s sit-in winded down with War’s Gold-certified ode to hot rod culture "Low Rider,” a wave of excitement rippled through the crowd as keyboardist and vocalist Nigel Hall made his long-awaited entrance, delayed by the unprecedented snow storms in New Orleans. In Hall’s absence, Steve Swatkins stepped in, filling in on keys until Hall’s arrival.
Lettuce was also joined by Jurassic 5's Chali 2na, who freestyled over the band's smooth, mid-tempo hip-hop track "Hawk's Claw." The night closed out with a blitz of fan favorites: "Squadlive," "Phyllis," and "House of Lett.” However, Lettuce was eagerly welcomed back to the stage for an encore where they performed the tour-de-force crowd-pleaser "Madison Square."
Following their co-headlining tour with GZA, Lettuce is set to release Lettuce with the Colorado Symphony, their latest album and concert film which documents their inaugural performance with the Colorado Symphony. With their ability to transcend genres—touring with acts ranging from reggae legend Ziggy Marley to hip-hop royalty GZA—and their bold new collaboration with top symphonies across the country, Lettuce's standout performance at The Novo left fans old and new in awe, wondering what the band will cook up in 2025 and beyond.
Review written by Leah Concialdi
Photos by Brian Greenblatt and Joseph Baura
