DANNI SIEMENS
Arts Writer

Like the soundtrack to a joyful revolution, Something Something is happening at the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival.

The tagline “Your Soundtrack to a Joyful Revolution,” on the Mr. Something Something website is a vivid description of the band’s unique blend of Afropop, funk, jazz and a little something else that makes the band so danceable.

Mr. Something Something, a band that considers itself built mainly for live performance, met and joined forces over a shared love of West African music, uplifting beats and music that left a lot of room for improvisation. Featuring irresistible energy designed to get people on their feet and dancing, the music subtly influences the world as we know it.

Frontman and lead singer Johan Hultqvist describes the dance floor as a miniature society.

“At the beginning of the night, you often have an empty dance floor, and it looks awfully intimidating,” said Hultqvist. “There’s a tension and hesitation in the club. All it takes are one or two brave souls to get on the dance floor and the next thing you know, the club is full of dancing people. Not only that, but the atmosphere in the club has been transformed completely and sets the tone for the night and the possibilities of what can happen.

“There’s a tension and hesitation in the club. All it takes are one or two brave souls to get on the dance floor and the next thing you know, the club is full of dancing people.”
Johan Hultqvist

“In overcoming your own self-consciousness or fear in getting on the dance floor, it’s the same kind of obstacles that we need to overcome in order to bring about any positive change on a community or societal level.”

The band members, coming from very different backgrounds, found that they had similar political alignments and the urge to use music as a vehicle for activism became stronger and stronger. Looking for ways to become more efficient in their activism, they started to put on shows outside of the regular tour circuit on organic farms, in food co-ops, played a wind-powered show and have been promoting sustainability and green energy.

“It’s pretty obvious to those of us that are born to Generation X or later. We’ve been forced to grow up with this idea of scarcity, not only the idea but the bitter reality that we’re running out of things.”

Still, Mr. Something Something can only do so much.

“We are musicians first and activists second, so we still need to maintain our careers and find time to write and record music. We’re on tour a lot. It’s hard to set a bigger project in motion.”

One of Hultqvist’s favourite quotes comes from Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” The saying runs true for Mr. Something Something, and they’ll continue speaking out for a more sustainable future.

Mr. Something Something play Lydia’s Pub July 1 and 2, as part of the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival.