Concerts are supposed to be fun. There is nothing better than grabbing your friends and heading out together to your favorite band’s concert. The atmosphere. The anticipation. As the evening progresses, the band plays perfectly, and everyone goes home happy. Last Friday night at the Observatory, I was embarking on the exact opposite excursion. I was set to check out three bands I did not know much about and consequently did not know what to expect. Can one still have fun? Well, I’m here to tell you that on Friday night at in Orange County it was indeed possible.
As I entered the theater and took my position, I noticed on stage the setup for the band Tartar Control, a hardcore Mormon three-piece (or two, depending on how you look at it). Robert Selander (vocals) and Sean Hart (guitar, backing vocals) were milling about on stage just before showtime and getting Robot (bass, drums) ready to begin the show. They were extremely personable and polite, talking to some folks in the front row. That was all about to change as within minutes they were unleashing some of the most hilarious and devastating punk rock I’ve heard in a long time. The crowd was eating it up. Within minutes pits were created, crowd surfers abound, and Tartar Control was IN control and we were off and running. Clever dialog and comedic banter delivered with diabolic music by clean-cut Mormons and a robot is a lot to digest right out of the chute, but we managed. And everyone smiled. Their set was over in what seemed like 5 minutes with the crowd wanting more. What fun!
Next on the bill was 45 Grave, a horror rock band fronted by the legendary punk Goddess Dinah Cancer. They put through a good 40 minutes set of some of the most intense and well-played rock you will ever see. Dinah Cancer’s 45 Grave are considered pioneers in the L.A. deathrock and horror punk scene. They spent their set hypnotically captivating the audience as Diane simply owned the observatory on this night. As they finished up, their decades in the music scene showed through and illustrated to me how professional and well done this set was. I would not mind experiencing this engaging group again. Spooky captivating fun!
Finally, it was time for the reason why we all gathered on this chilly November evening, Mac Sabbath. I was extremely eager to watch this anticipated spectacle, as they have been gaining much traction in recent years. Being a massive Black Sabbath fan over the years (they were my sidekick during high school I must admit), I was eager to hear this band and what they can do. The lights finally dimmed, and the band broke into “Organic Funeral” (“Electric Funeral”) to begin their set. The band members Catburgler (drums), Slayer MacCheeze (guitars), Grimalice (bass), and of course Ronald Osbourne (vocals) came to play. Fans were treated to a myriad of hits including “Sweet Beef” (Sweet Leaf), “GMO blind” (Snowblind), “Into The Void”, “Love Buns” (KISS’s Love Gun), and even “Grill My Pet”, (Motorhead’s “Killed By Death). The show wrapped up with a couple of Mac classics, “Frying Pan” (“Iron Man”) and “Pair-a-Buns” (“Paranoid”). Hilarious!
This show had it all: The lights, the burger-flipping, the moshing, the stage-diving, and of course, the attention to detail Mac Sabbath puts into its shows. Let’s not forget the quality of the playing - it was brilliant and all came together on Friday night. The creativity this band demonstrated was off the charts and frankly can’t believe I hadn’t crossed paths with them before. I’m so glad I did and will surely seek out their unique show again! Their brand of insanity and chaos was a ton of fun!
Hunnypot is the best plate of Thanksgiving food in an Instagram story. Last night was gravy. Hot Tub Johnnie preheated the night with new and classic hits. Matthew Chaim got the crowd pumpkin'd up with pop power. Xharlie Black presented all the R&B trimmings and dropped in the hot tub to talk about his music and life. Communicant had us stuffing our ears with pop hooks. Hung Yung Terrarist got in the hot tub to talk turkey and gave a live performance that grabbed us by the cranberries. Suniel Fox cobbler'd a raucous set of electronic rock music and Hot Tub whipped us with a creamy dance party to finish the night. 11/25/2019
Montreal's Matthew Chaim is captivating audiences with his genre-bending songwriting style and unique vocal tone. Matthew fell in love with the drums as a teenager. But it wasn’t until his early 20’s having graduated university and working a 9-to-5 job in finance that Matthew began writing songs.
Matthew’s first EP, “Homemade”, was written and produced in Montreal with his close friends Noah Barer and Austin Tecks. With ‘Homemade’, Matthew started carving out his emotional and soulful sound, while pulling from his influences at the time, including Drake, Frank Ocean, and Kid Cudi.
Matthew’s sound is now evolving into completely new territories, with his musical influences moving towards the likes of Bon Iver, Coldplay, and Tame Impala. Working closely with LA-based producer Rabitt, Matthew Chaim has begun releasing singles off his upcoming record set to drop Fall 2019.
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Even the staunchest R&B purists will be blown away by Xharlie's impeccable vocals and soul-soothing lyrical style while his boom-bap production will have the hip-hop heads moving to the beat.
Fellas, if you've been wondering which show to take your lady to, THIS is the one!"
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LA’s newest psych-pop group Communicant bridges the gap between 60’s psychedelia and R&B-tinged indie pop with their debut self-titled LP (due late 2019). Communicant is dynamic - ranging from sunny and colorful songs for leaning your hand out of your car window, to introspective compositions best befitting sitting on your bedroom floor in the dark with headphones on.
The group could easily be the lovechild of Frank Ocean and Tame Impala; lead singer Dylan Gardner’s vocals are silky smooth; a perfect accompaniment to swells of dreamy guitar and shiny glistening synths. Self-produced by Gardner, cocooned in his home studio in Pasadena, his production is utterly fresh; Communicant ’s tunes are filled to the brim with headphone candy and cleverly layered vocals.
The album features contributions from collaborators including Ben Goldwasser of MGMT (“Temporary”), newcomer singer-songwriter Syndie Jo (“New York Times”) and sound designer Mark Gardner. Much of their sound is an undeniable nod to the record collection of a vintage anglophile with a modern reworking. Their vibe grows increasingly more modern on more R&B-leaning tracks like “Better Than Me” and “Exclusivity”.
The lyrics take on themes of impulsiveness, angst, and change through the lens of being the radioactive age of 22. These lyrics against the instrumentals make Communicant ’s music fresh in their world of summer-y anthems, as well establishing that this isn’t your everyday, carefree indie pop group. With the group’s thoughtful melodies, substantial hooks and dreampop elements, they’re the next band in between your headphones.
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Everwide is the debut release by Suniel Fox. It is inspired by the idea that anyone can reimagine and recreate themselves. Tragedy struck Suniel in 2009 after an armed gunmen came into Suniel's home in a home invasion robbery. Suniel saved his family, but not before being shot in the neck. The bullet was just millimeters away from striking a vocal cord. After that fateful day, his life and his band - The Surrender, fell apart. Everwide is the first solo music he has released since 2009, and it marks a beginning and a return of his passion and love for music and emotional expression
The first thirty seconds of this video are pretty stark; just vocals and guitar, no beats. And all we see is Jackii Kennedy sitting in her car texting. But as the beats drop things start to get very interesting! As Kennedy drives along we see what appears to be a robot with a heart on its belly. This could only be a metaphor for an unavailable lover. Kennedy appears to interact with the robot on a series of dates and finds it mostly unresponsive aside from dousing her with a cup of liquid at some festivity, obviously a reflection on some public embarrassments. And to process these issues Kennedy gets a whimsical psych session where even her therapist gets in on the act of singing.
Musically there is a hip hop vibe but dub reggae influence too. At one point you feel as though you are listening in on a big party just behind a door, fitting as the omniscient lyrics warn to be aware of signs of a failing relationship. Jackii says the song is, “...a note to my younger self. If I could go back, I’d want to tell myself ‘...everything is going to be fine.’” It is notable that Kennedy experiences synesthesia, a condition whereby some musicians are able to see the colors of sound. In case you wondered “Mine” sounds like "pink and yellow with splashes of baby blue."
-Brooke Trout
Magic Beans and Mungion, two bands making waves and on the rise in the jam band scene took the stage on Wednesday night at the legendary Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, NJ. A surprisingly decent size crowd showed up for the evening's festivities on a cool night at the Jersey Shore. This show has been highly anticipated for months and all in attendance were excited for this one to get underway. Let the games begin!
Sweet Home Chicago's own Mungion got the party started. Forming in 2015, they are quickly becoming one of the rising jam bands with their unique improvisations and goofy on-stage antics. Composed of Justin Reckamp on (guitar/vocals), Joe Re on (keyboards/vocals), Sean Carolan on (bass/vocals) and Matt Kellen on (drums/vocals), these guys really know how to get the crowd loud and rowdy with their energy, virtuosic music abilities and funky rock grooves.
Playing about an hour set, they went through some of their live show staples, but a couple of tunes really stood out to me. One such song was "Nuthead". It had this outstanding jam that the band really let loose on which was definitely a fan favorite. Next up was "Bananaman", an acapella vocal tune with a barbershop quintet kinda vibe which the crowd ate up. Mungion ended their set with one of my favs, a Lionel Richie classic, "All Night Long". This got the crowd all charged up, singing along, and ready for the main event. Mungion is clearly a band to watch out for. These guys are stepping up their game and you would be doing yourself a favor by checking them out.
The headliners of the night, Magic Beans, hale from Denver Colorado and were primed and ready for an amazing set on Wednesday night. Since their inception in 2010, The Magic Beans have been pushing the boundaries, blending genres, creating mind-blowing improvisation, and blending old and new sounds through traditional funk, soul and electronica. Doing what they do is not easy, and it's one of the reasons that everyone is starting to notice of this amazing band. These guys don't mess around. It was my first time seeing them live and I was thoroughly impressed. The line up of Scott Hachey on (guitar), Chris Duffy on (bass), Casey Russell on (keys), and on Cody Wales (drums), tore the roof of the Wonder Bar with their infectious grooves and nonstop dance party. Everyone had their dancing shoes on and were getting down!
They opened the show with "Sucka Blues" and the dance party was now officially under way. Next was one of my favorites from the evening's set, "Handshake or Hug". This one was tight and you could immediately feel the groove come over your soul as this one unfolded. It was super funky and fans of all ages couldn't stop dancing. Continuing on, they went into "Inventor" and then a phenomenal cover of King Harvest's "Dancing in the Moonlight". Wow! Everyone was singing and swaying to this legendary groove. Scott has a smooth style and approach to his guitar sound. It's subtle, yet shredding, a style rarely seen in this day and age. This style melds so well with Casey on the keys. Along with his amazing vocal skills, Casey plays on a Hammond b3 organ which generates a killer, old school funky tone. The rhythm section were no slouches either. Chris's funky thunderous bass coupled with Cody's incredible drumming (including all those little fills) made for a unique sound blending old with new.
To end the show, the guitarist from Mungion Justin Reckamp was invited back on stage to join Magic Beans for one of their big hits "Here on Out". Justin's ridiculous guitar skills added so much flavor to such an outstanding song, and the jam really took off from there. Their improvisational blend of electronica, funk, bluegrass, and rock was on full display and the crowd was dancing like no one was watching.
Magic Beans has an amazing stage presence and is full of energy. Their rocking show at The Wonder Bar highlights why they are a band rising in the ranks in the jam scene and are only going to get bigger and better. Do yourself a solid and check these guys out the next time they come into your town. You won't be disappointed!
To listen to Magic Beans show at the Wonder Bar in it's entirety, click HERE
Bay Area thrashers, Death Angel, have been proudly inducing neck trauma and countless trips to the chiropractor for decades and this tour is no different. Bringing their ferocious legacy to Hawthorne Theatre in Portland, in support of their latest album, Humanicide, Death Angel has brought along Neo-Classical shredders, Exmortus as well as the Classic Thrash outfit, Hell Fire, to decimate cities all across North America.
The first time I stumbled upon Hell Fire’s latest album, Mania, I honestly thought I was hearing a band that I might have mistakenly skipped over in the 80’s speed metal at the local record store. When Jake Nunn, vocalist and guitarist of Hell Fire, hit that first pummeling riff from “Warpath” at Hawthorne Theatre I was transported to the heydays of thrash. Screaming dual-guitars, soaring vocals, and leather were the order of the day. They finished off their blistering set with the catchy sing-a-long anthem, “Conquerers” and I was overtaken with the same chills of hearing Kill Em’ All for the first time all over again.
Prepared for battle, the Neo-Classical Extreme Metal outfit, Exmortus, led by guitar virtuoso and vocalist, Jadran “Conan” Gonzalez, have never been one to follow convention. Being equally influenced by Extreme Metal as much as the Classical composers of the past, the band is widely respected throughout the metal world for the technical mastery of their instruments and brutality of their delivery, meanwhile keeping their feet planted firmly on the ground, unlike their frilly-sleeved contemporaries of the 80’s. Exmortus’ flawlessly executed an epic curated selection of their most aggressive sword-wielding favorites, including songs off their 2014 release, Slave to the Sword as well as their monumental, The Sound of Steel. Exmortus’ fearless leader was prepared to teach a lesson to the audience from the Classical masters of old. Conan called out to the audience, “Are you ready for some Beethoven!” And an unworldly flurry of notes blasted forth, unveiling a modern metal interpretation of the Classical master’s “Moonlight Sonata (Act 3)”. Exmortus’ love of instrumental re-imaginings didn’t end there. They continued with their own version of the theme from Beetlejuice, the beloved cult classic from the late 80’s as heard on their latest EP, Legions of the Undead.
The words Death Angel are synonymous with speed, intensity and unrestrained power. Their fan-base are relentless, dedicated and are unabashingly proud of their Bay Area Thrash heroes for all they have achieved. The band wasted no time getting straight to the point, like a runaway bulldozer pulverizing everything in its path, they opened with the song “Humanicide”, the crushing opening track off their latest album of the same name. Fans reminisced about the many times they’ve seen their heroes perform in the past and proudly showed their hero’s logo not just on their chest but permanently branded on their forearms. Veteran vocalist, Mark Osegueda, is still as fierce a front-man as ever. The smile on his face as he sang with his arm around founding member and lead guitarist, Rob Cavestany made it plain to see that this was not just a band, it was a brotherhood. Rhythm guitarist, Ted Aguilar, drummer Will Carroll, and bassist Damien Sisson headbanged relentlessly, rounding out the Death Angel lineup for the last decade. The opening of the band’s epic 10min instrumental gift to Thrash, “The Ultra-Violence” was played was such intensity, I put my camera to the side and was sent into a possessed frenzy, running in circles and slamming into the wall of fans that made up the exterior of the circle pit until I could barely stand. They played songs from every era of their prestigious career including 2016’s, The Evil Divide all the way back to their first groundbreaking album, The Ultra-Violence.
The Humanicide Tour is every hesher’s dream. An in-genius display of technicality and aggression that has come full circle with thrash veterans, Death Angel at the forefront, Exmortus pushing the boundaries, and Hell Fire guiding us to a new future that also echoes the past. Grab your leather jacket, and sign yourself up for a massage in advance because you’re not walking away without some serious neck trauma by the end of this tour.
Detroit Native Kash Doll first broke through with her track “For Everybody” in 2017 which has since reached over 10 million view on YouTube. Kash Doll has opened up for Drake on his “Summer Sixteen Tour” and Meek Mill’s “2019 The Motivation Tour” and has been featured on tracks like “So Good” by Big Sean and “Sociopath” by Pusha T.
Kash Doll was featured as one of the “10 Female Rappers You Should Definitely Know” by Consequence of Sound's article which was published on May 01, 2019. Since her breakthrough Kash Doll has been on top of her game and has finally released her most awaited first full-length Debut Album “Stacked”! Her Debut Album has singles: “Ice Me Out”, “Kitten”, “Ready Set” and “Mobb’n” and features artist Lil Wayne, Big Sean and Teyana Taylor. Stacked since its release has debuted No. 76 on the US Billboard 200.
“Mobb’n” opens up with this sick trap beat, and Kash Doll rolling up in a Range Rover and taking over a Liquor store. Kash Doll's opens the song with her boldness and confidence of being one of the best female rappers to-date. With lyrics like "Ever since I came into this rap shit, I been killin' shit, All these bitches copy what I do, I might as well build a bitch". As the video continues Kash Doll appears to challenge the nay-sayers and those who’ve doubted her to “knuck if you buck, If you say you with it, why the fuck you ain't pull up?” as her and her crew show the wold what she is capable of.
Written by Elsie Hernandez
Living in California, you develop a love-hate relationship with driving. Some people hate driving, even for 10 minutes, while others love the prospect of getting behind the wheel. I happen to belong to the latter. For me, It’s a little bit of peacetime for myself; therapy if you will. This past Saturday I was afforded over 2 hours of alone time in my four-wheeled bubble. I was driving from Orange County to Agoura Hills to see one of my boyhood heroes, former KISS Lead guitarist Ace Frehley in concert. I spent most of the two hours re-familiarizing myself with his music; the oldies from the ’70s and of course his solo efforts. Some of the memories that his music conjured up for me were those days in my bedroom listening to their live album, Alive II, staring at the gatefold for hours and imagining myself in the crowd watching the spectacle that was KISS.
I distinctly remember back in those times that I always thought he was the coolest of the four . Oh sure, Gene Simmons spit blood and blew fire across the stage, and Paul Stanley presumably could snap his finger and be adored by every female in the crowd. But Ace was just cool. Oddly, as crazy as he was, he always seemed like the most normal of all of them.
Since his exit from KISS in the early ’80s, Frehley has enjoyed a decent career on his own. He’s put out a few albums here and there which seems appropriate because while onstage he always appeared to be the reluctant frontman. A bit shy perhaps. Free to continue his career at his own pace, I get the feeling that he just wanted it to be about the music and he wanted to play guitar. Again, every-man's rock star.
When I finally entered the show this very distinct feeling washed over me which felt like I walked into a room full of friends. Everybody was smiling, polite, and just plain enjoying themselves. The night began with a set by a band called Like It. Out of New York, these four guys played a pretty decent set of originals and mixed in a little bit of comedy, keeping the whole evening very light and loose. You probably won’t hear any of their stuff on the radio soon, but they were a boatload of fun just the same. Looking back a perfect band to open the night.
Finally, the stage crew was finished and the band members each took their position one by one. The crowd let out a massive roar when Ace made his way to center stage. He worked the crowd up a bit more, then finally belted out his patented 1-2-3-4 and there it was, the first notes of the classic, “Rip it Out”. I immediately felt they were on point and this show was going to be something special. The sound was loud and clear, the guitars big and clean, drums rattling the remaining glassware from dinner. Bottom line, we were off and running! Finally, Ace broke into the first line of the song and that was the cherry on top. Holy crap this was phenomenal!
The second song, “Parasite”, for me has one of the most devastating riffs you’ll ever hear in rock and roll. It came early in the set on this night. Originally sung by Gene Simmons when this song came out (apparently because of Ace’s lack of confidence in his singing voice). Ace has embraced this classic and delivered it with every bit of confidence and quirkiness he could muster. The band that Ace has surrounded himself with were no slouches either. They uncorked “Strange Ways”, “Shock Me”, “Cold Gin”, and "Hard Times” as if they were their own. Truly outstanding performances one and all. Also included in the evenings mega-set were “She”, “Rocket Ride”, and “Rock Soldiers”. Each was delivered perfectly and shook the Canyon to it's core.
This tight-knit, professional unit blasted through their set with precision and ease. Just like every other great show, you leave thinking they could have gone on for another hour. This was truly a show to remember for years to come and a true bucket-list performance for sure. Ace Frehley and his band-mates succeeded in transporting me back to my room in the ’70s on this night and gave me plenty to ponder on my 2-hour drive back home.
With five minutes left till the start of show, the seemingly endless line of die-hard fans that wrapped around Hawthorne Theater showed no signs of ending. Swedish Melodic Metal progenitors, In Flames were in Portland, Oregon to promote their latest album, I, The Mask, on their 2019 Winter Tour with the epic American rock quartet RED and Canadian Metal prodigies, Arrival Of Autumn along for support.
It’s no easy feat opening the night for a band with such a prolific, genre-defining career such as In Flames, but Arrival Of Autumn got the show started with a fierce start concreting themselves very quickly as a force in extreme music. The band, stemming from a small isolated city in Northern Canada, have very quickly made a name for themselves globally. After two self-released albums, they caught the attention of renowned producer, Jason Suecof who took on their latest album, Harbinger, their first release with Nuclear Blast Records. As the show began, the lights in the venue took on a blood red hue and Jamison Frieson’s vocals, both guttural and melodic led the charge for the band’s merciless onslaught. Blindsided by Arrival Of Autumn’s unassuming guitarist, Brendan Anderson’s impressive technical and melodic sensibilities on the fretboard, the front line of fans hugging the barricade stood in stunned disbelief during their ferocious performance of “Witness”, the band’s latest single. Sharing vocal duties with Frieson, guitarist, Ryan Sorenson, complimented Anderson with an aggressive edge and sharp riff attack. And with bassist, Kevin Student and drummer, Ty Fox laying down the foundation for their auditory assault, these Canadian hopefuls are sure to carve a solid future for themselves in Extreme Metal.
Epic and endearing, RED, the Grammy-Nominated, American-Christian rock band, towered over the audience on two risers celebrating the release of their latest EP, The Evening Hate as well as the 10 year anniversary of their second studio album, Innocence & Instinct. The quartet from Nashville, Tennessee stepped confidently on stage and vocalist, Michael Barnes grasped the mic with both hands instantly taking command of the audience with the opening track, “Fight Inside”. The band, RED is no stranger to wearing their Christian faith on their sleeve and their lyrics often vocalize inward struggle and a timeless search for solace in oneself. Brothers, guitarist, Anthony Armstrong and bassist, Randy Armstrong, as well as drummer Dan Johnson were headstrong and unified performed songs from their 17 year legacy. Their heavy hitting, fan-favorite, “Breathe Into Me” was a fitting and glorious end to RED’s dedicated performance.
For over 25 years, Swedish metal legends, In Flames, have been reinventing themselves with every album release and they show no signs of slowing down. Although the ever-evolving godfathers of Melodic Death Metal have weathered numerous line-up changes throughout the years and a noticeable stylistic shift in their songwriting, they’re latest release I, The Mask, is just as powerful an album as anything they’ve created in this latest evolution of the band. Their performance of “Cloud Connected”, the first track off Reroute to Remain showed that the Swedish band’s celebrated vocalist, Anders Fridén is just as potent and ferocious as ever. Guitarists, Björn Gelotte and special guest of Megadeth fame, Chris Broderick led a brutal and astonishing melodic dual-guitar attack throughout the night. Along with drummer, Tanner Wayne and bassist, Bryce Paul, In Flames played songs for nearly two hours with selections from their latest release, I, The Mask all the way back to their early albums, Whoracle and Lunar Strain.
As the forefathers of a timeless genre of extreme music, In Flames have proudly taken this role with open arms. For nearly three decades the Swedish Metal legends have been carving a new path for themselves while paving the way for generations of musicians to follow. Don’t miss your chance to witness this metal phenomenon on tour in a town near you!
The first time I saw Immortal Technique was in 2008 at the Jazz Reggae Festival at UCLA. It was arguably the best time to see Immortal Technique as he was at the top of his career. He’d been buzzing hard in the independent rap circuits after dropping Revolutionary Vol. 1 (2001) and Revolutionary Vol. 2 (2003). His last album to date, The Third World (2008), was set to release about a month after. With a populist message, he took on the establishment in all forms – from the greedy record executives to the weapons lobbyists who walked the halls of Washington DC. Whether you were a fan of his or were one of those people who heard “Dance With The Devil” in its entirety just once, Immortal Technique definitely left a lasting impression on you in the 2000s. While still touring and spottily releasing singles, Immortal Technique has since taken a step back from releasing full length projects… until now.
Over a decade later, there are increasing rumblings that the next album, The Middle Passage, is finally almost here. Immortal Technique's most recent Prelude To The Middle Passage Tour overtly advertises [Performing New Music] on the flyer. The Middle Passage is the underground’s Detox. We’ve been waiting forever. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see him perform new music and relive some moments from Revolutionary Vol. 1, Revolutionary Vol. 2, and The Third World. I made my way over to The Glass House in Pomona for what would be an eventful night. Let’s jump into the three main acts of night.
Poison Pen was the first of the three main acts to grace the stage. The battle rap pioneer from Bed Stuy, Brooklyn put on a hard-hitting performance that set the tone for what would be a fulfilling night of lyrically hard hip hop. As Poison Pen wrapped up his set, all eyes were on the stage entrance as the crowd eagerly awaited the arrival of Chino XL.
The music started. You heard Chino XL start rapping. But Chino XL was nowhere to be found. The lights in the venue were dim. A sense of confusion overcame the crowd. In WWE fashion, venue spotlights located Chino XL as he moved through the crowd as aggressively as he rapped. Luckily, I was still next to the stage trying to grab security’s attention to let me into the photo pit. I yelled “nevermind!” and jumped into the crowd. Camera in hand, I pushed and clawed my way to Chino XL. The center of the venue opened up in pit fashion as Chino XL performed. The Bronx rapper spent a few songs performing on the venue floor with fans before finally being helped on stage. He spent a few songs on stage but ended his set back in the crowd again where it seemed he felt at home. There’s something electrifying about the 6’2’’ rapper stomping around screaming a high energy set in the middle of the venue floor.
The main act requires no introduction. Immortal Technique took to the stage and brought Poison Pen, Chino XL, and others with him. With assistance from the homies, he exhilarated the crowd as he dropped verses from songs such as “Point Of No Return”, “The Cause Of Death”, and “Peruvian Cocaine”. In between songs, Technique assumed the role as orator in chief as he preached conscious messaging to the crowd. He touched on a range of topics – from the early economic foundations of our country all the way to how a real gangster should never tolerate any sort of harm done to women.
My favorite monologue was when he asked everyone to look around at each other. Everyone in the room, Technique preached, no matter their religion, no matter their tax bracket, and no matter their walk of life, all shared in one thing. They all rejected the programming. They all rejected mainstream media and rejected normalcy. Instead, they all adopted free thinking and intellectual independence. They all made a conscious choice to embrace his messaging, far out of the cultural norm. Or… they got high one night, and their one of their friends asked them, “Do you want to hear a fucked up a story?” DJ Static immediately dropped the infamous “Dance With The Devil” instrumental and Immortal Technique performed the most spine chilling live song I’ve ever witnessed. If you haven’t heard “Dance With The Devil,” I’m not going to ruin it for you. I just urge you to listen to it yourself, before someone else blows what is arguably top 10 hip hop storytelling songs of all time.
Special kudos to DJ Static for rocking the ones and twos all night. Poison Pen, Chino XL, and Immortal Technique certainly did not disappoint. They also graciously met with fans for a quick meet and greet at the end of the show. After so long, it was great to hear Technique play some unreleased material. I’m now more than eagerly awaiting The Middle Passage. I started this review by reminding you what I felt about Immortal Technique back in 2008. I did this because it’s how I feel about his upcoming material now. He’s back in rare form with an album on the way. If you’re somewhere in his tour path for the remainder of this Prelude To The Middle Passage Tour, I highly suggest you grab some tickets asap and head down when these guys are in your town. It isn’t anything you’ll hear on Billboard or MTV, but it’s something you’ll cherish for a long time.
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Rubi Rose is certainly making headway into the music scene proving to be a success by dropping tracks like "Trickin" and "Big Mouth". Her past life as a model appearing in music videos with Migos, LVRN, and Raury catapulted her into the music scene with a fan base already attached to her hip. The number “Hit yo Dance,” had two collabs with Yella Beezy who was rockin’ some pricey bling that might get you thinking-- maybe this guy is shitting hundos. But I digress, NLE Choppa, he likes choppers, I get it. When Rubi Rose began hitting her lines she naturally sounds commanding and ruthless; she gives no fucks and has the power to make all the mediocre men wet themselves. Not only she’s firecrackers on the fourth of July, she is the perfect counterpart to the other two young rappers on this song that arguably has some good clap beats throughout.