The first time I met Michael Franti I was leaning against a sweat-covered swaying wall about ready to pass out from exhaustion inside the classic live New Orleans music venue the Howlin’ Wolf during JazzFest ‘03, the best vacation of my life to date. It was 5:00AM, and I hadn’t slept in at least 48 hours. I was down south promoting his group, Michael Franti & Spearhead, as well Jurassic 5 and Blackalicious. Franti and company put on what was probably the most energized, soul-diving, heart-pumping, love-juicing show I have had the pleasure of seeing. Mountains moved, the Red Sea parted, the stars aligned, and the crowd jumped with the power of one core.
After his performance, Franti approached me to say thank you for helping out with the merchandise booth. I was so out of it that I didn’t even realize who he was at first, until suddenly I felt an ominous other-worldly aura engulfing me. It was him. It was this human shaking my hand, who emitted such a positive inner-light that I almost couldn’t see straight. I felt dizzy.
“Wow, I want what he has,” I thought. ”I want to possess that kind of magic.” An influential activist, an earth-shattering performer, and an angel’s soldier among men – Michael Franti is the genuine article. I’m just glad I was able to meet him at the 11th Power to the Peaceful Festival, and make up for the first time we met when I nearly fell on top of him six years ago.
