reviewvancouver: Suba Trio

On Friday evening, the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts transformed its Telus Studio Theatre, known for its three tiers of loge seating, into an intimate sanctuary for the SUBA Trio. The event featured a general admission layout, with tables placed throughout the centre of the hall. As the doors opened, the lobby buzzed with patrons carrying refreshments into a space softened by a "mist" of theatrical smoke.

The visual stagecraft was simple yet effective. Mild projectors cast a series of light beams upward, catching the artificial haze. Initially somewhat "stuffy," the mist gradually dissipated as the performance unfolded, leaving the air clear for the music’s more intricate moments.

Omar Sosa's spellbinding solo piano introduction set a meditative tempo that allowed the audience to settle into the hall’s exceptional acoustics. As Seckou Keita’s kora and vocals joined Gustavo Ovalles’ percussion, the trio maintained an "easy tempo" that prioritized depth over speed.

As the set evolved, the trio moved seamlessly between states of being. What began as a meditative exercise gradually built in intensity, triggering a visible emotional release throughout the hall. In the dim light of the loges, some patrons were moved to tears, while others smiled widely in infectious joy.

The climax came when the "easy tempo" gave way to an irresistible rhythmic drive. The seated formality of the hall finally broke, with a notable portion of the audience finding it impossible to remain still, rising from their seats to dance. The evening reached its zenith when the boundary between performer and spectator vanished entirely, with the entire room singing and clapping in a unified, percussive chorus.

Time flowed unnoticed, uninterrupted by an intermission. When the final notes faded, the "merch" table in the lobby became a hub of enthusiastic appreciation, with CDs and LPs selling out almost instantly. It was an evening where the venue, the acoustics, and the human spirit came together in perfect, unhurried synchronization.