The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Freddy DeBoe and friends return to the city on Thursday
NEW HAVEN — Former Charles Bradley sideman Freddy DeBoe and his band of soul heavies return to Cafe Nine on Thursday — bringing people who have played with Bradley, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings and the Sugarman Three to the Cafe Nine stage.
For five years until the great soul man Bradley passed away last year, DeBoe toured the world with Charles Bradley & his Extraordinaires, playing some of the biggest, most high-profile festival stages around.
His Brooklyn-based band plays some serious soul music — be forewarned.
Since Bradley’s passing, DeBoe has dedicated his time to putting out instrumental soul all around Brooklyn and beyond, joining with many musicians and collaborators from the Daptone Records world.
The last couple of times that DeBoe, a Milwaukee native, came to New Haven and Cafe Nine, they rocked the joint — and you can be pretty sure that they’ll do it again this time.
Expect plenty of sweet soul music, tailormade for dancing.
Showtime is 9 p.m. Admission is $12 in advance or $15 at the door, available in advance at cafenine.com. Cafe Nine is located at 250 State St. — the corner of State and Crown.
This week, Premier Concerts and Manic Presents also bring two shows of note at the Space Ballroom (295 Treadwell St., Hamden):
⏩ Peter Mulvey, a fine singer-songwriter from Milwaukee, will perform on Thursday. He gained national acclaim as the author and originator of the viral “Take Down Your Flag” song that swept the internet in the wake of the June 17, 2015 shooting of nine African-American members of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church by a white gunman in Charleston, S.C.
Showtime is 8 p.m. (Doors at 7.) Matt The Electrician opens. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door, with advance tickets available at space ballroom.com.
⏩ The Gibson Brothers, two northerners (as in northern New York state) who excel at traditional southern bluegrass music, will perform on Friday. Brothers Leigh and Eric Gibson were International Bluegrass Music Association Entertainers of the Year in 2012 and 2013 — no small feat.
Showtime is 8 p.m. (Doors at 7.) Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door, with advance tickets available at spaceballroom.com.