Nicole Brice
Jan 17, 2024
Baton Rouge, Louisiana January 13, 2024
On Saturday, January 13, 2024, New Orleans natives Saxkixave energized Chelsea’s LIVE in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with their awe-inspiring musical prowess. Saxkixave set the stage ablaze with their harmonious blend of talent, innovation, and comedic antics as the opening act for award-winning American rapper, Juvenile. This was the band’s first time playing together in Baton Rouge under the moniker Saxkixave and they killed it.
Saxkixave is comprised of multi-award-winning rapper Alfred Banks and multi-instrumentalist Albert Allenback of the Grammy-nominated group Tank and the Bangas. The two came together musically a few years back after the suggestion of friends and have not looked back since. Both Alfred and Albert—the two Al’s—have infectious personalities that reel you into the magic they create when together, and if you’ve been following them on Instagram and TikTok, then you’ve surely seen their hilarious comedy bits and unique freestyle cover songs, including background music from Super Mario Brothers and beyond. With two albums under their belt, the duo is currently on tour promoting their newest release, “Nectarine Peels”, so be sure to check out their social media to stay up to date on all the upcoming shows and tour dates.
Chelsea’s LIVE has been a fixture on the local Baton Rouge scene for many years, with their original location being just past the north gates of Louisiana State University. For the past two years, though, Chelsea’s LIVE has occupied a new space where they have hosted many notable statewide and national acts, as well as music genre theme nights. The venue was the perfect backdrop for Saxkixave’s debut performance in Baton Rouge.
From the very first note, the musicians displayed unmatched virtuosity, opening with the track “Humblebrag” off their “Nectarine Peels” album. It was the perfect song to set the tone of the band’s set for those unfamiliar with their music. Without missing a beat, Saxkixave continued to captivate the audience with other notable titles such as “Away from You (Too)”, “Kaleidoscope”, “Hashbrowns”, and their rendition of the Britney Spears classic “Oops! ... I Did It Again”. They also performed their new single “Done With The” for the first time.
There were many stand-out moments throughout the evening, one being when Alfred and Albert started bantering about the fact their names are both Al, which was a segue into their captivating and crowd-pleasing rendition of the Paul Simon classic “You Can Call Me Al”. Another notable moment was when Alfred asked the audience to hold up random items so he could freestyle rap about the objects each audience member held up—an instant crowdpleaser.
Saxkixave’s performance at Chelsea’s LIVE was not just a concert but a sonic experience. As the final notes reverberated and the band rounded out their one-hour set, they closed with the humorous song “Cheeks”, which is about a cell phone, but the lyrics would lead you to believe otherwise. When the crowd erupted in positive cheers and applause as the band finished, it was clear Saxkixave had successfully won over a new group of fans with their unparalleled talent.
The duo’s electrifying fusion of sounds, masterful musicianship, and mesmerizing improvisations created a night of musical magic that will undoubtedly be etched in the memories of those lucky enough to experience it for many years to come.
To learn more about Saxkixave, visit them online at www.Saxkixave.com.
-
-
*cover photo courtesy of Gary Governale
Nicole Brice is obsessed with music. Plain and simple. Do you have a show you think she should check out? Email us at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com.