Layers of Rhythm Power Rusted Root

In many African music cultures, the dividing line between performers and audience, song and dance, are much blurrier than is the norm in most Western traditions. Drum ensembles sometimes include dancers adorned with percussion accessories that add to the cross-rhythms as they move.

The Rusted Root fans who braved the persistent drizzle Thursday night to see the group at the Wiltern Theatre weren’t decked out with rattle belts and ankle bells, but they certainly demonstrated why the Pittsburgh sextet’s two studio outings are such a lackluster experience--the recordings are really only half of the performance. It would be impossible to condense onto a compact disc the kind of ebullient, global village vibe Rusted Root can conjure with the help of a reveling crowd.

Of course, this is what was always said about Grateful Dead concerts, so it’s no surprise that Rusted Root is often mentioned as one of the leading bands carrying on that Deadhead experience. Thursday that connection was abundantly clear.

With at least half the band members dedicated to percussion and drums, the most intoxicating elements of the music were the powerful rhythmic currents the ensemble generated. Drawn from African, Middle Eastern and Indian traditions, the layers of rhythm kept the songs--even the most protracted jamming--moving forward.

The vocal interplay between frontman Michael Glabicki and multi-instrumentalist Liz Berlin was heartfelt and soulful. Throughout the evening, audience members clapped, gyrated and sang with as much enthusiasm as the band, so that the ambience was more like a revival meeting than a concert, making it easy to understand why Rusted Root has won so many believers.