Ebony picks Bones with the venue but gives Chicago a show to remember

February 6, 2010, at the Green Dolphin

By Selena Fragassi
Published: February 9th, 2010 | 1:00pm

Sometimes you’re just in the wrong place and the wrong time. So it was the case for Ebony Bones and her growing flock of disciples who were forced to belabor an irritating bill of antiquated house DJs and amateur petty rappers before London’s fair lady finally crashed the party at 2:30 in the morning— long after the energy and excitement had waned and second-rate speakers had Advil in as much demand as the vodka to wash it down with.

Chicago’s Green Dolphin is a venue with a serious identity crisis (is it an upscale jazz joint or tacky nightclub?) — and certainly not a place equipped to handle the swell of a performer so boldly marking her territory on today’s musical landscape. The performer (birth name: Ebony Thomas) is as colorful live as her playful Rainbow Brite outfits but, polluted by the murkiness of her surroundings, the night was a logistical grey wash.

“Soundman, help us out here … the people want to hear the music so turn it the fuck up!” pleaded a visibly frustrated Bones as muffled static took over on major numbers like “We Know All About U,” “W.A.R.R.I.O.R,” and a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall.” It’s a shame the Chicago crowd, who last had seen Bones and her eight-piece entourage at the Wicker Part Fest in the summer of ’09, could not fully experience the caliber of her finely-tuned show that had critics raving at last year’s SXSW festival and dubbing her as “phenomenal” and “one of the best new acts of the year.”

Being the true ringleader she is, though, Bones rose to the occasion with keen audience interaction – if the crowd wasn’t doing her dance right, she’d get in the pit and show them how it’s done; when she saw the displaced nightclub crowd peter out in favor of annex rooms, Bones jumped back offstage and found a willing culprit to dedicate her song to.

Although the clock was well beyond pumpkin-turning time, Bones never let her energy fade or the smile leave her face even when her clothes and accessories couldn’t keep up. When her sequined leopard dress with heart sleeves (the second in her multiple costume changes) ripped, it just gave her more room to dance. And dance she did, giving Beyonce a run for her millions with a spot-on “Single Ladies” imitation that joined her two back-up singers at center stage.

Beneath the thick fog of smoke and strobe, Bones proved she’s no smoke and mirrors act. The tribal pep rally with an infectious drumline and whistle accompaniment is self-propelled and wholly organic. Although the caveman chic/Aztec warrior/PeeWee Herman costumes could be mistaken for a phantom mask, don’t be fooled. Ebony Bones is talent in the raw, a successful culture maker who beautifully merges theatre with music and art with skill. Even with all the wrongs of the night, Bones was more than right to battle the difficulties and provide a unique experience that give the devoted few a chance to say, “I saw her when…”

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