"I paid $38.50, YOU SCREAM!"
SUMMARY: The show was cool.
You know Dane and I really went to see Little Brother and they only did like 4 songs and we got there about halfway through the first song. So we were rockin' IMMEDIATELY when we stepped into the opera house. They had Darien Brockington with them as their hypeman, but it would have been so much better if they had Chaundon and Joe Scudda also. Needless to say though, Little brother ROCKED!
Why Phonte thinks he can actually sing is beyond me, but he's hilarious when he goes into that mode where he's really trying to belt out some soprano type -ish. Every song they did though, Dane and I were rocking to. Little Brother gets a 5 out of 5 from me for their performance.
Lupe Fiasco was average at best. He had on one of the most Prince-esque outfits I've ever seen in terms of how tight his jeans and hoodie were. And on top of that he had like a red belt on (his jeans were dark-colored and his hoodie was black) so it kind of looked like he was rocking a thin-azz cumber-bun. From Lupe, I really only wanted to hear "He Say/She Say" and "Kick/Push" so after he did those two songs, I was ready to move on to the Roots.
Random notes about Lupe's performance:
1) Funny how Lupe and his hypeman kept bumping into each other. I couldn't help but think how much effort guys like Diddy and Busta and Jay-Z put into their live shows. These young cats have a LOT to learn.
2) Every time he started a song he'd jerk his arm in a very violent way (no Johnny Gill) that really kind of looked weird. I guess that's his "thing" or whatever, but it seemed so extra to Dane and I. I don't know if he was just THAT into his performance or what, but I thought he was going to hurt himself a couple times.
The Roots came out strong. They started off OUTSIDE the opera house performance area. They came in from the lobby with Questlove? banging his cowbell, a full brass ensemble, and Black Thought. They all walked in a single line through the lobby, through the crowd, and onto the stage. Now THAT'S a way to make an entrance!
Everybody was up on their feet and we were all bobbing back-and-forth. They held it down for about two songs and then....just like the last time I saw the Roots back in 2002, they eventually allowed me to bore and feel like it was time for me to go home. I love the instrumentation and I love the fact that they're a live band,
but at a HIP-HOP concert I'm not trying to hear a remake of a Bob Dylan song about the war. I'm trying to party! I can listen to that song on the album or as part of a bonus disc, seriously! Not to mention Black Thought thought (no pun intended) he was James Brown for about 5 songs last night. It was cool for one song, but more than that is just disrespecting the legend. I was itching for him to just start spitting some random fresstyle a capella though. He's one of the nicest lyricists (and most slept on) in hip-hop. It would have been nice to hear him spit some tight bars for a couple minutes.
The best part of the Roots performance (for me) was when they did the instrumentals to other people's songs (showing great versatility) and when they did their old joints like "Do You Want More", "Proceed", and "Star" (this one's not so old).
Overall, Dane, Osei (who bought a ticket at the door and beat us to the concert), and I had a good time. I am not mad about spending my $30 to go to this show. But next time, I'd prefer that it's just a Little Brother show, I ain't even gon' front.
Random notes from last night:
1. A show with "conscious" rap acts definitely brings out nice ladies. Not that a "Pimp Trick Gangsta Click" concert doesn't bring out the fine, well-educated, and classy ladies, but you know what I mean.
2. Dane (in reference to Lupe's hypeman): "Bone, is that nikka doing the running man?" LMAO!
3. The two girls in front of me (one white and one asian) only had two dance moves in their repetoire: the "shake from side-to-side" and the "wiggle-while-pulling-your-hair".
4. I think Dane wanted some weed last night (don't tell him I said it though) because he asked me towards the end of the night if I smelled weed. But on the way out, it did smell like something was burning.
5. I cannot dance, whatsoever. Even the girls from #3 had more moves than me (LOL).
6. My cell phone camera will not cut it! I need to go ahead and drop that $200 on the Cybershot joint I want.
Dane also has a post about the concert that's pretty daggon funny
5 comments:
I was pressed to see the Roots when they came to Temple for homecoming last year. And I was really disappointment. My experience was exactly how you do described it...i mean exactly...from the intro walking through the crowd with the cowbell and marching band to the suprising boredom I felt in the middle of their set. Still wish I could've been there. I heard they'll be on this side tonight though.
I don't think that they're style (as odd as ithis may sound) translates well into a show where it's just straight HIP-HOP. It's great as a complement to a Jay-Z show or MTV unplugged, but people come to a hip-hop show to dance, chant, bop, get pumped, etc.
The Roots style is pretty experimental and outside-the-box at their shows, which is cool in terms of their creativity. But it throws you off when they start off rocking and you just want to dance or bop your head all night, and then they have these breaks where it's a guitarist for a half hour or some other random "set".
I guess some people would call my perspective close-minded, but I have no problem listening to that type of "creativity" on an album.
But I come to a concert to party and have a good time so the expectaions are different than when I listen to an album.
I told someone a minute ago when Lupe was in DC that I wasn't really interested because "his type of music isn't really the kind you go to a concert to see". And from what I saw last night, he's not that polished of a performer for his performing ability to outweigh the fact that his songs aren't really concert-friendly. If he took some pointers from Diddy then I think I could look past the fact that his songs really aren't concert bangers.
But overall, I enjoyed the show, I just left last night wishing I'd have spent the whole night yelling, sweating, and dancing. I know a lot of people complain about shoulder leanin', leanin' wit it and rockin' wit it, walking it out, etc. and how they're bad songs and how it's wack to listen to on the radio every day or buy the album. BUT, when you're at a concert, in a club, or in a party environment, you NEED songs like this to keep the crowd pumped.
All these different brands of hip-hop artists have their place. Some lend themselves better to albums (ie - Lupe), some lend themselves better to concerts (ie - Busta and these rappers who make songs that are dance-based), and some are great in both ways (ie - Jay-Z).
But the Roots did rock last night when they hit that "Hip Hop You the Love of My Life" joint.
My experience with The Roots has been the same. I went to see them by myself at BBKings where I had to stand the whole time. It was painful. Black Thought throws these open mic/talent shows here in LA though, and he always does some nice freestyle while hosting. I'd prefer to see him alone doing his little artistic flair than to see him with the band.
it's been a minute since i've been in your neighborhood. i don't even know what's going on in your life anymore.
My thing is, if I have to stand (which me and Dane didn't but I've been to see other artists and had to stand), I want to be partying the whole time. And with the Roots, that is NOT the case.
I agree with you on Black Thought. He's a beast!
I haven't been posted as much lately, only in spurts, but...You should stop by more often ;-)
I read your blog about the cowbell and marching band but, uhhh... I don't get why your site comes up when I'm looking for this little sexy teen named Little Lupe. Weird. Anyway.
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