Tonight was fantabulorgasmic.
At Downtown Brew (formerly SLO Brew) Tre from The Pharcyde and Speech from Arrested Development gave one of the most heart jarring and powerful hip hop/R&B shows I've seen in this town.
Tre was backed by a small live band: drums, bass, guitar and backup vocalist. The backup vocalist wailed. They played the one song I still remember of The Pharcyde, the one where the hook is "She keeps on passing me byyyy.."
Speech made a showing, sans drummer. His ensemble consisted of a guitarist, a bassist, himself with turntables and a sampler, and a mandolin player. No drummer, and the backbeats were subtle and understated.. a bold bold move, and the resultant music he made was organic (as much as that term has been driven into the ground) and fitting of the rootsy nature of his rhymes and style. He played the obligatory hits from Arrested Development, sans the Revolution song from the Malcolm X movie, but he really held down his set. He can wail, I tell you what. What turned me on to his voice when I first heard it on MTV back in the day was the overthinking everyman's tone.. conversational. questioning, yet full of faith. seeking and searching, and finding peace in the struggle of everyday life.
He's got a really good singing voice as well, and did a good cover of Redemption Song, and coda'd out of it with a beautiful South African-style instrumental (think Paul Simon's Graceland album).
He said that the whole Arrested Development crew was reuniting and going out on the road sometime this year. I can't wait to see them all.
Though I was exposed to the early nineties' "thinking man's hip hop" from my nephew/cousin and only heard snippets of Tribe Called Quest, Pharcyde, De La Soul, and Arrested Development, the spark they set in me sent me on the road to acceptance of non-mainstream music and to seek music sourced from personal experiences and emotions and/or unique artistic visions rather than all of the fluff and technique so poo-pooed about today (think: american idol, or any 'mainstream' artist on the radio or on tv today).
At the end of the show, I had the opportunity to shake his hand, with both of my hands, and to tell him that he was an integral part at changing my life -- seeing past the image and into true artistry and true communication.
And he thanked me back.
At Downtown Brew (formerly SLO Brew) Tre from The Pharcyde and Speech from Arrested Development gave one of the most heart jarring and powerful hip hop/R&B shows I've seen in this town.
Tre was backed by a small live band: drums, bass, guitar and backup vocalist. The backup vocalist wailed. They played the one song I still remember of The Pharcyde, the one where the hook is "She keeps on passing me byyyy.."
Speech made a showing, sans drummer. His ensemble consisted of a guitarist, a bassist, himself with turntables and a sampler, and a mandolin player. No drummer, and the backbeats were subtle and understated.. a bold bold move, and the resultant music he made was organic (as much as that term has been driven into the ground) and fitting of the rootsy nature of his rhymes and style. He played the obligatory hits from Arrested Development, sans the Revolution song from the Malcolm X movie, but he really held down his set. He can wail, I tell you what. What turned me on to his voice when I first heard it on MTV back in the day was the overthinking everyman's tone.. conversational. questioning, yet full of faith. seeking and searching, and finding peace in the struggle of everyday life.
He's got a really good singing voice as well, and did a good cover of Redemption Song, and coda'd out of it with a beautiful South African-style instrumental (think Paul Simon's Graceland album).
He said that the whole Arrested Development crew was reuniting and going out on the road sometime this year. I can't wait to see them all.
Though I was exposed to the early nineties' "thinking man's hip hop" from my nephew/cousin and only heard snippets of Tribe Called Quest, Pharcyde, De La Soul, and Arrested Development, the spark they set in me sent me on the road to acceptance of non-mainstream music and to seek music sourced from personal experiences and emotions and/or unique artistic visions rather than all of the fluff and technique so poo-pooed about today (think: american idol, or any 'mainstream' artist on the radio or on tv today).
At the end of the show, I had the opportunity to shake his hand, with both of my hands, and to tell him that he was an integral part at changing my life -- seeing past the image and into true artistry and true communication.
And he thanked me back.
VIEW 3 of 3 COMMENTS
trilobitten:
wow. it must have been quite the experience meeting someone who's been such an influence in your life. that's awesome.
keith:
"Leather Goddesses"?? "NOTapervert"? 