Archive for the ‘Concert Reviews’ Category

A3C 2012, Day 2: Prodigy’s the HNIC, Killer Mike & Just Blaze Educate, Nipsey Hussle, The Liknuts and More…

Posted: October 13, 2012 in Concert Reviews
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ATLANTA, GA — Day two of A3C 2012 is now in the books. I’m willing to bet there’s many still recovering; when I left the main Masquerade venue at well past 2 a.m., there were still emcee freestyle cyphers and DJ competitions going on.

On Thursday, the events at the Masquerade were confined indoors, as the outside stage had not been opened up. Last night, all four stages were in play, ranging from a live broadcast of the Combat Jack show inside to the IHipHop outside stage that featured the likes of Chino XL, Torae, Prodigy and Freeway. The two aforementioned stages are where I split my time. Due to the other site locations that featured shows with the Dungeon Family, Trae the Truth, Thurz and others, The Masquerade was crowded but not as heavy as last year’s festival.

I arrived in time to catch Prodigy’s 15-minute set. With such a compact time and being solo, Prodigy’s performance was a short litany of his best efforts: “I Shot Ya,” Keep It Thorough” and “Hold You Down” were among the standouts. And of course what a Mobb performance be without the appropriate ending, “Shook Ones, Part II.” Hey Havoc, y’all need to stop the BS and reunite.

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Running back inside, I missed DJ Drama’s Q&A on the Combat Jack show, but got the pleasure of hearing Just Blaze and Killer Mike discuss the politics of Mike’s R.A.P. Music album, how to create positive movements in Hip-Hop and the definition of “black excellence.” Above anything, both men stressed the importance of not just networking for superficial perks, but creating lasting partnerships with like-minded individuals. While Mike tackled the political and social implications for black people by utilizing this philosophy correctly, Just balanced it out by focusing on how it could be applied to the music industry (using Saigon’s career as an example).

Upstairs, the homegirl Boog Brown was working some “magic” on the Red Bull Soundstage. Those of you who’ve read this site over the past few months are familiar with her skill. Those who aren’t, get initiated.

Running back outside, Nipsey Hussle was finishing up his set with his “This Planes” track. Just from gauging crowd reactions over the last day, there aren’t that many West Coast fans that made the trip out. Nonetheless, Nipsey’s style is appealing enough that the crowd was won over. Bringing out Houston’s Trae the Truth (whose numerous guest spots ensures he’ll be working hard all weekend) didn’t hurt either.

Chino XL brought out the lyric fanatics, especially with his “Deep Cover” version of ”Naah!” and a phenomenal, somber closing rendition of “Wordsmith.” It’s remarkable to consider that Chino dropped his debut in 1995 and is still operating a high lyrical level approaching 20 years later. You could tell from some of the faces in the crowd that his style was a little too dense for some, but the respect for the obvious work he’s put into his craft was definitely there.

After a nice, quick energy-building set from Freeway that featured “Roc da Mic” and “What We Do,” the outside stage was finished off by the Chef Raekwon. Unlike Big Boi yesterday, who chose to just handle his verses from Outkast’s catalogue, Rae was ambitious in trying to also rhyme the verses of other Wu members and emcees on classic joints like “Verbal Intercourse,” “Criminology,” “House of Flying Daggers” and “John Blaze.” This came with mixed results, as all the hard work clearly had Rae out of breath at times. Not that it mattered; just hearing those vintage tracks with Wu royalty present had the crowd filling in the bars when needed.

Because of bad parking, most fans elected not to try and travel across town to check out The GZA, who was performing ALL of Liquid Swords in its entirety. Thankfully, GZA gave us a surprise treat in stopping by for a quick drop of “Shadowboxin’” before leaving for the Terminal West stage.

Legends Kool DJ Red Alert and DJ Teddy Ted were on hand for a special DJ competition entitled “Needle to the Record” at the Guitar Center Stage. The showcase had some classic turntablism from the aforementioned two and some new school, amazing scratching from guys like DJ Shiftee.

My evening was finished off back upstairs at the Red Bull Soundstage with The Beatnuts and Alkaholiks, recently united to form the supergroup The Liknuts. Like the name implies, you get all the adult humor, lyricism and thupping beats you’d expect from these veterans. Juju looked to be getting drunk throughout the show, and went through a few lyrical brain farts on those older Beatnut tracks. Nonetheless, it was an overwhelmingly festive atmosphere. While the Beatnuts are more laidback, the Liks’ Tash and J-Ro are all energy, providing a great contrast.

Both groups have always stated they’ve been overlooked and not given due credit for their contributions to Hip-Hop culture. Seeing them live, it’s hard to argue. You won’t find their songs when you look back on Billboard charts, but their catalogue is chock-full of classic cuts. If you forgot, tracks like “Daaam,” “Make Room,” “Reign of the Tec,” “Watch Out Now” and “No Escapin This” served to be excellent remainders. The only question now is when is that Liknuts album dropping?

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That’s all from Day 2. The finale tonight will have the likes of Twista, Tech N9ne, Devin the Dude, Mello Music Group, Jamla Records, Slum Village and many more. Tickets can still be picked up at www.A3Cfestival.com.

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[VIDEO] A3C 2012 Day 1: Big Boi Shows Out! Rapsody & 9th Wonder Bring the Real & One Time for Chi Ali…

Posted: October 12, 2012 in Concert Reviews
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Disclaimer: With over 300 artists, multiple citywide sites, film showcases and panels, anyone without at least a 20-man team cannot give a true recap of all the happenings over the course of the 3-day A3C Festival. This recap is just one writer’s experience at the events he chose.

ATLANTA, GA – The 2012 edition of the A3C (All 3 Coasts) Festival has upped the ante: more artists, more interactive events and more locations. Since 2010, A3C has held their festival at the Masquerade, utilizing the venue’s vast open space to post two stages outside and three inside. But with this year brining in over 300 artists, even that was not enough. Now the entire city has become A3C’s playground, with sites ranging from the storied Plaza Theatre to several spots in the bohemian Little Five Points District.

Arriving fashionably late around 6:30 p.m., the main site offered me DJ sets throughout the night from such established names as DJ Hurricane, Young Guru and Kool DJ Red Alert. And those who were able to make it in the afternoon got treated to panels on the legalities of the music industry, the politics of voting and the money management. Artist-wise, acts like Cyhi the Prynce, Chip tha Ripper, Sha Stimuli and The CunninLynguists held down the fort well past midnight.

Knowing I’d spend the majority of tomorrow at the main site, I ventured across town to a venue named Terminal West for BET’s stage, appropriately titled “Music Matters.” I got there in time to hear a few songs from DMV’s own Phil Ade, whose rapid-fire wordplay won over most the crowd despite a short set. Kid Daytona had a harder time but got a better response and the end with his new Jadakiss-featuring single “Low.”

Business really picked up when 9th Wonder hit the the stage to intro his very talented Jamla signee, Rapsody. How do you get the crowd on your side? Stepping on stage while ripping Jay-Z’s “Takeover” beat is a good start. And with a catalogue that’s heavy on lyricism, the camera phones quickly started coming out to record her flow on tracks like “NonFiction” and “Believe Me.” If you don’t have her just released debut album The Idea of Beautiful, do your ears a favor and pick that up ASAP.

Ditto that last sentence for Skyzoo and his album of the year contender A Dream Deferred. Sky followed up Rapsody with selections off that project and Live From the Tape Deck. The former features a tribute track, “Jansport Strings,” to the then teen rapper he saw on TV that inspired him to rhyme, Chi Ali. Just released from a near 12 year sentence for manslaughter, Ali graced the stage for the “Jansport Strings” remix.

Kirko Bangz’ set with a little jarring coming right after Skyzoo’s, but he and guest Trae the Truth didn’t waste time and went through a quick set that prevented any lag time.

The night’s closer was Big Boi, who was only scheduled to do four songs. That turned into an hour-long fantastic performance that ran the gamut of Outkast’s legendary catalogue, Big Boi’s own hits and even the Purple Ribbon all-stars. You would think hearing classics like “Rosa Parks,” “B.o.B.,” “Ms. Jackson,” and “ATLiens” without one-half of the equation wouldn’t feel complete, but Big Boi and hypeman C-Bone’s energy, along with the crowd’s, was at such a high level that it didn’t even matter. This allowed Big Boi to move quickly into each classic going all the way back to the “Southernplayalistic…” and “Player’s Ball” days. And let’s not be mistaken; Big Boi had a good number of his own bangers to go through in “Ghettomuzik” (that Pattie LaBelle breakdown is heaven live), “Shutterbug” and “General Patton.”

Former friend-turned enemy-turned friend Killer Mike came out to lead off the closing segment, reciting his standout verse on Bonecrusher’s “Neva Scared Remix,” his joint “ADDIDAS,” and his part on “Whole World.” The only complaint is we unfortunately didn’t get Mike’s “Yeah!” which may off just blew the roof off. To close, the present Purple Ribbon All-Stars graced the stage for a joyous rendition of “Kryptonite.” And the only reason we didn’t get more is due to the venue shutting down.

This was Big Boi’s first A3C performance and he was so impressed with the crowd that he promised to try and make it out for the remainder of the week. If so, he’ll join a deep roster tonight featuring the likes of The GZA (performing ALL of Liquid Swords), Chino XL, Prodigy, Raekwon, Freeway, Nipsey Hussle and many others.

Check back here early Saturday for the Day 2 recap.

For tickets for the remaining two days, visit www.A3Cfestival.com

Future Brings Out Big Boi, Young Jeezy, TI, & Gucci Mane for Atlanta Album Release Party [VIDEO]

Posted: April 19, 2012 in Concert Reviews, Music News
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Future got big support from some of Atlanta’s biggest names earlier this week at his Pluto album release party. Even if you’re not a Future fan, the below video is worth viewing simply on the strength of the dude he had on stage in a full spaceman suit. Shout out to director and homie Cam Kirk for his excellent footage. Future’s Pluto is in stores now.

2011 A3C Festival Day 3 Recap: Kane Still Rules, NYC Gets Tribute, Murs’ Live Band & More [VIDEO]

Posted: October 10, 2011 in Concert Reviews
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ATLANTA, GA — All good things must come to an end. On Saturday (October 8), I arrived at the Masquerade venue feeling a mix of fatigue, sadness and excitement for the last day of the A3C Festival.

Day three’s performances began at 11 a.m., making it the longest day. The Atlanta sun forgot summer was over and beamed down an oppressive heat through the midday and afternoon hours.  For that reason, some decided to camp inside with the various panels like women in Hip-Hop and music publishing. I decided to brave the heat to catch as much live muisc as possible. The first emcee I found outside was a guy named Lyriciss. I can tell you one of the hardest challenges of a fledgling artist performing at A3C is making yourself stand out from the 200 other rappers present. Lyrics alone can’t do it; there has to be some on-stage showmanship as well. Of course, rhyming over some well-known beats is an excellent way to turn some heads, case in point his reworking of Soho’s “Hot Music.” You rhyme over a classic dance track like that, I’m going to give you some attention.

Back inside, I went upstairs to the Creative Loafing stage and was immediately accosted with drum breaks and smells equivalent to a high school gym. The funk was courtesy of several heavy b-boy ciphers that were going on all over the floors. While breakdancing receded further and further from the limelight as Hip-Hop grew into the mainstream, the “lost element” still has devoted adherents in the States and a strong presense internationally. The visuals and music was so soothing I had to camp out of for a minute, especially when DJ Jaycee Rocks and Evil Dee rocked “45 minute 45 sets.” As someone who loves finding samples, I was right at home listening to breaks from Peabo Bryson, Patrice Rushen and Southside Movement. When I get rich, I’m going to hire a traveling deejay with me to play breaks whenever I want.

Back outside, I caught a Memphis dude by the name of Skewby whose music continued the soulful sample sounds.  The iHipHop stage around the corner starting featuring more known artists like Phil Ade and Murs. The latter was accompanied by Ski Beatz, Tabi Bonney and a live band. Presentation wise, this was probably the best idea of any of the artists I saw, as it made for clearer music and lyrics rather than the pounding bass and muffled voices of many sets. The Waterproof MC Ras Kass got a huge reception, particularly for his Soul On Ice tracks “Miami Life” and “Nature of the Threat.” Since he had a strict 15 minute set, Ras jokingly cut the latter short (“I ain’t rhyming that shit for seven minutes…”). There were several deejay miscues, but Ras’s rhymes were still sharp so he never lost the crowd.

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Afterward, I linked up with Tabi and Murs on their tour bus for some quick interviews. Of course, when Hip-Hoppers get together the discussions are usually anything but short. Upon finding out the premise of my website, there was some prolonged talk on the Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiation fiasco, albums vs. mixtapes, whether we’ll ever get a proper Andre 3000 solo album. Time got away from me and I realized after wrapping things up I had missed the final outside sets from M.O.P. and Dead Prez.

On the bright side, there was still much Hip-Hop going on inside. Big Daddy Kane held a one hour sit-down interview where he discussed his beginnings, his view on today’s Hip-Hop and how he almost had a pay-per-view battle with Rakim. Red Bull sponsored a NYC tribute to the five boroughs with emcees (Saigon, Action Bronson, Ultra Beast) performing classics from each area. This pretty much followed the format that the VH1 Hip-Hop Honors does. Here a guy like Fashawn, who last year made the Nas tribute Ode to Illmatic, was able to stand out with his performance of “Represent” since he already had different lyrics to the track. Or in Eternia’s case, she got over by bringing out Tribe member Jarobi for “Excursions.”

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Well past midnight, it was now time for Big Daddy Kane. It was a performance that was years in the making — back in 2008, Kane was unable to make the A3C Juice Crew reunion due to medical issues. The young rappers in attendance got an excellent lesson on what it means to “move the crowd” and be a “mic controller.” His live renditions of “Raw,” ‘Set It Off” and “The Symphony” were just as potent as they were over 20 years ago. Juice Crew family MC Shan, who now calls Douglasville, GA home, even hit the stage for the Queensbridge anthem “The Bridge.” When Kane was really feeling it, he ventured into the crowd like with “Smooth Operator,” or when he lead an almost church-like ending to “Ain’t No Half-Steppin’.”

The capper to the evening was unquestionably when Kane’s original dancers Scoob and Scrap hit the stage to run through their old routines. Even in their 40s, they had no problems hitting their spots. That includes Kane, who hit a split before departing.

You couldn’t ask for a better way to officially end A3C 2011. On the first day, festival founder Brian Knott said this was the event’s greatest lineup. As I reached my car with the sounds of Raekwon’s “Criminology” echoing softly from the venue, I thought of how I couldn’t agree more. Only about 365 days before we all get to do it again.

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2011 A3C Day 2 Recap: K.R.I.T.’s Classic Material, Freddie Gibbs’ Gangsta & 9th Wonder [VIDEO]

Posted: October 8, 2011 in Concert Reviews
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ATLANTA, GA — For better or worse, the A3C Festival had been branded as a “real Hip-Hop” event. It’s a loaded term that’s both inclusive and highly restrictive and conservative. It can champion the unknown but passionate rapper who fights to have his voice heard while isolating others whose aesthetic is deemed “unworthy” or “embarrassing” to the culture. A3C had never advocated any type of division in Hip-Hop. And on the second day (October 7) of the festival, the organizers showcased arguably their most diverse cultural lineup of emcees.

Outside, the Jagermeister Stage treated fans to an intriguing blend of international emcees. A few like Toronto’s Eternia were known, but most were young, unknown artists coming from as far away as Norway. By whatever means and sacrifices got them here, it was evident on their faces the joy they got just from being able to perform in front of people. The most intriguing aspect of these sets was the production, which ranged from calypso rhythms to minimalist, boom-bap reminiscent arrangements from Europe. If anyone forgot that Hip-Hop is a truly international culture, this was their reminder.

Inside and upstairs on the Creative Loafing stage, there was a showing of an excellent documentary on the life of 9th Wonder entitled The Wonder Year. Chronicling one year (2009) of 9th’s life, Kenneth Price’s intimate film touches on the many layers that define 9th’s existence — fatherhood, university teacher, husband and the search for music that gave him the joy he initially heard from Digable Planets, Tribe Called Quest and others. Several times during the film, the crowd burst into wowed applause when 9th’s beat-making process was detailed. A Q&A session was held before 9th took the stage to showcase his Jamla label (Heather Victoria, Big Remo, Actual Proof, Rapsody etc.). 9th would stick around behind the boards for the remainder of the night, and in-between sets did a excellent job of keeping the crowd hype with classic tracks like Naughty By Nature’s “Uptown Anthem” and Black Moon’s “Who Got Da Props?”

Outside of the iHipHopDistribution stage, Maybach Music Group’s Pill brought some ATL dope boy music to the forefront. Not everyone in the crowd was familiar with his mixtape material, but tracks like the Rick Ross-featuring “Pacman” got good reactions. Fully aware of the “real Hip-Hop” standard, Pill admitted that he had apprehension about how he would be received.

Jean Grae could care less about what your definition of real Hip-Hop is; she was going to make you feel her music regardless. Not one just to be stared at, Grae used her trademark oddball humor to get the crowd more vocal. Fans of the NY emcee know that for over a year, she’s been working on an album entitled Cake Or Death. She gave a sample of the mature, reflective direction that LP may take with two tracks. The first, with the late Steve Jobs used as an example, focused on people “getting out of their own  way” and putting their dreams into action. The second was a bittersweet reflection of a woman realizing a relationship had become devoid of any love outside of the physical.

Unquestionably, Big K.R.I.T. was the man everyone was waiting to see. The Mississippi upstart could be picked out easily behind the scenes from the swelling crowd of bloggers and hardcore fans that followed his route to the stage. The fans were very knowledgable of K.R.I.T.’s work, finishing the lyrics to tracks like “Return to 4eva” and “Just Touched Down.” For those who have bemoaned the state of southern Hip-Hop for the last few years, Big K.R.I.T. stands as a shining example that the music is now in good hands.

Inside, the Perfect Attendance stage arguably showcased the most eclectic lineup. Mixed together were swag rappers (Jarren Benton), spitters (Jon Connor) and a self-proclaimed “Kush God” (Smoke DZA). As a result, the crowds drastically changed nearly every set. Action Bronson had a short set where he showcased his humorous side with a self-deprecating track on his weight. With Ras Kass, who performs tomorrow, making rounds in the room, DZA closed this stage with a surprise second appearance from K.R.I.T. on “Gotta Get Paid.”

Well past midnight, it would be the Creative Loafing stage that closed the night’s performances. Sets from Skyzoo, Cory Gunz and Kid Daytona kept the room filled as many awaited the final set from Freddie Gibbs. With 9th Wonder back on the boards, Gibbs hit the stage with his CTE family in tow. The most impressive aspect of Gibbs’ set was his flow, which has been used to devastating effect on most of his features. The performance showed that it was no studio tricks of punching in — Gibbs’ rhymes sounded just as flawless as the records. To make sure this was emphasized, Gibbs dropped the music on tracks like “Rob Me a Nigga.”

It would be well past 1 AM when some fans began filing out of the Masquerade to get a good night’s rest and prepare for tonight’s final sets. And with a lineup that includes Big Daddy Kane, M.O.P. and Dead Prez, A3C is certain to have a memorable end to their 2011 festival.

$20 tickets for today are still available HERE.

2011 A3C Festival: Day 1 Recap [VIDEO]

Posted: October 7, 2011 in Concert Reviews
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“They thought Hip-Hop was here last week [with the BET Hip-Hop Awards]. Hip-Hop is really here this week…” – Dres the Beatnik

“I have to say that of the seven years, this has to be my favorite artist lineup.” – Brian Knott, A3C Founder

ATLANTA, GA — Atlanta’s 2011 A3C Festival kicked off yesterday with minimal problems and high-powered sets from an array of the industry’s respected names. The event began at 3 PM around the city with assorted “Meet and Greets.” Although many fans undoubtedly couldn’t attend them due to work commitements, it allowed the many artists and fans who flew in to be occupied before the evening. With many of those artists new to the industry, A3C filled out the rest of the afternoon with information panels on business models to market and brand independent music (“Do For Self,” “What Is the Hook”). Those who made it were treated to a eclectic blend of advice from veteran artists (Malice of the Clipse, Dungeon Family’s Backbone) and executives representing DTP, Grand Hustle, Audible Treats, BET and Universal Music Group.

By 6 PM, the Masquerade venue had begun filling up as the first artists took the stage. Upon approaching the site, you’re greeted to an outside stage, this year dubbed the “Underground Express” that featured performances from Torae, El Da Sensei, J-Live, Boog Brown and Rapper Big Pooh. Despite many of the bigger names being confined inside, this stage was important in that it set the tone for the rest of the showcases. This group provided the energy needed to break the 9-5 work sluggishness many initially brought to the venue. Torae premiered new 9th Wonder and Pete Rock produced tracks from his forthcoming For the Record (November 1) album. The sultry Boog Brown let the uninitiated know the ladies could rock just as hard with a few selected tracks from her 2010, critically-acclaimed Brown Study LP.

Inside the Masquerade, the site had two parallel rooms on the bottom floor (A3C Pro Audio Room, Perfect Attendance) and one upstairs (Creative Loafing). In any given room there were freestyle battles, producer showcases and break sessions for the beat junkies. Legendary producer Diamond D of the Diggin in the Crates crew treated fans to a near one hour set of just playing his favorite 45, which ranged from notable samples (Jay Electronica, Mobb Deep, Pharcyde, Minnie Ripertona and Nas) to the highly obscure.

The only glaring issue with Diamond D’s work is that he started an hour late and completely destroying the listed performance schedules. Fans now had to guess when their favorites would be going on and check back regularly to avoid missing out.

Nonetheless, wherever you stayed you were treated to good music. Some of the more subdued, cerebral artists like Wu-Tang affiliate Bronze Nazareth struggled to translate their styles to a live atmosphere. Others with eccentric personalities like Homeboy Sandman had no problems whipping the crowd into a frenzy with frenentic rhymes and call and response chants. Even the Ying Yang Twins, who when announced for the event several weeks ago had many underground fans raising eyebrows, won over those who watched them perform their catchy hits. And those who preferred their Hip-Hop with a harder edge were treated to lyrical sets from Ultra Beast, Freeway and Random Axe.

Outside of one big delay, A3C amazingly managed to avoid much of the chaos that usually marks the first day of big festivals. Today promises to be even bigger with performances scheduled from 9th Wonder, Big K.R.I.T., Freddie Gibbs, Skyzoo, Cory Gunz Saigon, Pill and Jean Grae.

Tickets for the two remaing days of A3C can be purchased HERE.

Red Bull Soundclash 2011: Neon Trees vs. Ludacris [VIDEO]

Posted: September 7, 2011 in Concert Reviews
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Can an alternative rock band outdo a popular Atlanta emcee in his hometown? That was the main question this past Labor Day when Utah-based band Neon Trees engaged in a friendly “battle” with Ludacris as a part of Red Bull’s 2011 Soundclash.

The premise of the Soundclash has a Hip-Hop artist/group and rock band reinterpret each other’s most popular tracks between dual stages. The deejay on hand, on this night being the world-renowned Mick Boogie, challenges each artist to adapt their songs to different styles such as reggae, acoustic and metal.

After short intros, it appeared early on that Ludacris may have bitten off more than he could chew even with a live band backing him. The opening “Cover” round called for each group to do renditions of the Michael Jackson classic “P.Y.T.” Luda’s version had solid backing courtesy of his band’s strong rhythm section, and with his raps it came off like a lively go-go song. However, Neon Trees held the advantage by having a frontman that could actually mimic MJ’s cadences. Being that the original also contained notable guitar rhythms, Neon Trees’ cover had a stronger musical backdrop that gave them the advantage after round one.

Neon Trees kept that momentum in the ”Takeover” round, which revolved around the original artist starting one of their signature tracks only to have it finished by the other. Neon Trees did a creative, classic rock interpretation of Luda’s “What’s Your Fantasy,” complete with wailing, southern blues-infused vocal inflections from band frontman Tyler Glenn and drummer Elaine Bradley. The latter impressed even further by covering Nicki Minaj’s verse on “My Chick Bad” while maintaining her drum arrangements.

Not to be shown up in his own city, Ludacris came back strong with a lyric-heavy interpretation of Neon Trees’ “1983″ single. Displaying the lyrical improvisation that Hip-Hop is known for, Luda fleshed out the 1983 concept by reflecting on his childhood love of music. The DTP leader would do even better in the “Clash” round with a smooth, reggae version of “Pimpin’ All Over the World” and an acoustic, funky reimagining of “Area Codes.”

The last set was called “The Wild Card” round, and featured each artist performing one of their biggest recent hits with a surprise guest. Neon Trees went first with their platinum hit “Animal.” It was quite the spectacle as the band was accompanied on stage by dozens of fans clad in animal masks. The light-hearted song was given a harder edge via Atlanta rap dup Big HEED and ALIen, who chimed in with a call and response verse.

As an ATL resident who keenly knows his audience, it would be Ludacris who made the final impression courtesy of a bevy of voluptuous dancers and strippers from Atlanta’s famous Magic City gentleman’s club. “Everyone knows Atlanta is the strip club capital of the motherfucking world!” Luda affirmed as the music to “How Low” hit. A trio of strippers descended on a pole prop displayed prominently to stage left shortly after Ludacris’ first verse. The first one wowed the crowd with her lively dexterity in navigating the pole with her dark, thick legs and surprising upper body strength. She was followed with two more dancers who elicited an audible pop from the crowd when they used their bodies to create a human surfboard visual. The combination of athleticism and sexuality was more than enough to put a memorable stamp of the competition leg of the evening.

To conclude, Neon Trees joined Ludacris on stage for an unplanned jam session which featured an encore of “Animal.” Afterward, both sides expressed a newfound appreciation for the other’s art form.

“I hope the crowd leaves here tonight feeling like this is the best concert they’ve ever been to,” Ludacris said. “You’re getting both artists at the same time and it shows how many fans just appreciate music, period.”

“The lyrics, especially Luda’s, are more sex and party-driven,” explained Neon Trees frontman Tyler Glenn. “We wanted to be true to the way we write but still be true to the original artist with that swagger and vibe. Usually in a Hip-Hop song there’s so many words, while in a rock song it’s more packaged.”

“What’s cool is that we’re a groove-oriented band amidst rock n’ roll,” added Branden Campbell, who plays bass guitar for the group. “We like to mix a lot of soul elements in there. It was very natural for Elaine and I to get really groovy with rhythms so much that it wasn’t really a departure from his songs. We had fun imitating the music, but we really wanted to do something different. It was real cool and fun.”

Ludacris is at work on his eighth studio album Ludaversal. Neon Trees are currently on tour through October 28.

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MTV VMAs 2011 Performance Grades: Beyonce’s Baby Glow, Gaga the Androgynous, CB’s Teen Spirit, Amy’s Tribute & more [VIDEO]

Posted: August 29, 2011 in Concert Reviews, Music News
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Aside from Beyonce’s huge pregnancy announcement, there was an actual award show that took place last night on MTV. While there were no iconic moments that happened, many of the artists turned in very good live performances. Read on to see who elevated their games and who feel flat.

BEYONCE “LOVE ON TOP”

Is that a baby glow? Nope, that’s just Beyonce’s regular look. Bey went old-school with this performance for “Love On Top.” Even with the background dancers, this was centered strictly on her vocals over theatrics, something most of her colleagues cannot do. Don’t expect anyone to take her spot even with the baby on the way.

GRADE – B+

JAY-Z & KANYE WEST “OTIS”

This set wasn’t expected. But with Beyonce giving the VMAs huge pub by announcing her pregnancy, it’s the least MTV can do. Jay and Ye got off to a great start with the pyro effects and stage walk. Funniest thing was someone yet again trying to crash a Jay-Z MTV performance. What would’ve been awesome is if they had come out in that Mad Max Maybach.

GRADE- B

LADY GAGA “YOU AND I”

You see the confused faces in the audience? I was equally dumbfounded. I didn’t know if that was Gaga, a cracked out Andrew Dice Clay, or K.D. Lang. These types of intros work good on concert tours. Here, it just runs too long. It takes a minute for your mind to get into the song, which was executed well, after that beginning.

GRADE- B+

CHRIS BROWN “YEAH 3X/PROTECT YA NECK/TEEN SPIRIT/BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE”

I was never a Chris Brown hater, but I can’t say I was much of fan either. Lately though, he’s caught my attention with the music he’s been putting out (Boy In Detention). Anyone who can incorporate classic Wu-Tang and Nirvana into their performances in 2011 is ok in my book. The stage flying took this over the top.

GRADE- A

PITBULL “GIVE ME EVERYTHING”

This is the first and only performance of the night where my attention started waning. I think most people would have struggled following that Chris Brown set. The song being meh probably didn’t help either.

GRADE- C

ADELE “SOMEONE LIKE YOU”

Adele has a great voice and she nailed this. All the slick production on this show made her work stand out even more.

GRADE- A

LIL WAYNE “HOW TO LOVE/JOHN”

Wayne got clowned heavy last night for those leopard print skinny jeans. Mixing the mellow “How to Love” with the hard-hitting “John” was a nice contrast of styles. However, it never quite connected with the audience. It would have come off much stronger if Rick Ross joined him on stage for his part. Overall, not great but not terrible.

GRADE – C-

BRUNO MARS “AMY WINEHOUSE MEDLEY/VALERIE”

Far as male singers go, Bruno Mars was a good pick for this Amy Winehouse tribute. His voice sounded great and the overall presentation was an excellent nod to Amy’s big band jazz roots from the attire to the swing rhythms. Even Tyler the Creator was loving it. Well done, sir.

GRADE- A

YOUNG THE GIANT “MY BODY”

Never underestimate the benefit of a lively crowd. The song is nice, but the crowd’s energy in the pit put this on another level. This is the good-natured vibe that results in tipsy girls hugging random people at shows. Extra points for the stage diving.

GRADE- B+

COBRA STARSHIP “YOU MAKE ME FEEL”

It’s hard for me to tolerate these dance-pop anthems outside of working out. The singing at times is strained but let’s face it, you don’t listen to these songs expecting Patti LaBelle level vocals. I did like how they traveled to different stage areas.

GRADE – B-

Disagree? Vote on who was your favorite performer on last night’s VMAs!

 

Tour Log: Sade Gives Atlanta a Lifetime of Memories

Posted: July 21, 2011 in Concert Reviews
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Tour Log: Philips Arena, July 13 2011

Sade’s career has resembled a comet in recent decades. The revered songstress has been quite content to drop critically acclaimed albums, add a subsequent world tour, and then disappear for 10 years. It’s made her music, and especially her live appearances, that much more special. For this sixth tour, entitled Once in a Lifetime, Sade has fused her music with strong theatrical elements to create a wholly entertaining and touching event. 

With this being the second consecutive Atlanta show, and it being on a Wednesday, many fans were late in arriving. The official show time was 7:30, but the Philips Arena was not even half-way full when John Legend began his opening set a little after the 8 p.m. hour. Those in attendance were won over by Legend’s mix of his own hits like “Lifted,” and covers of soul classics like Baby Huey’s “Hard Times.” The biggest responses came when Legend serenaded and slow-danced with a fan on stage, and his rendition of “Ordinary People.” The latter was such a favorite that Legend was able to let the audience handle the chorus duties. To keep the energy strong, he concluded with the upbeat “Greenlight,” teasing a possible Andre 3000 appearance.

In this digital, all-access age, Sade has been one of the few artists that’s kept her mystique. This was apparent by the anxiousness the crowd exhibited in waiting for a glimpse of her. Clad in all black, she rose from the bottom of the stage as the stabbing chords for “Soldier of Love” hit. The crowd went into a frenzy at the first glimpses of her stoic pose, forcing Sade to crack a slight smile. The crowd’s roars reached an even higher pitch when the signature deepness of her voice reverberated throughout Philips Arena. Later, Stuart Matthewman’s wailing sax signaled “Your Love Is King” as the next song, prompting all the lovers in the crowd to remain standing in tight embraces. Sade was falling more into her performance as well, throwing leg kicks to accentuate the song’s transitions.

Although the majority of Sade’s music lends itself to quiet reflection and intimacy, she made excellent use of the arena’s wide stage and towering jumbotron. “Kiss of Life” featured a rolling POV video with Sade frolicking in the summer grass. The tasteful close-ups of Sade’s face and upper body gave you the visual that you were actually the one intertwined with her, no doubt a great fantasy of many men and some women in attendance. On “Smooth Operator,” the tron was used to set up a nightclub setting while Sade changed into a sharp cocktail ensemble. With “Love Is Found,” the tron showcased an urgent, sensual dance of lovers.

The soothing timbre of Sade’s contralto has always given a dreamy, almost mystical element to her music. She added to that mystique by performing a handful of songs with the stage enveloped by a transparent white fabric. The material reflected out scenes while Sade was still visible inside, making her look spirit-like and the performances akin to a dream sequence. “Bring Me Home” featured images of a desolate road journey. “Morning Bird,” with Sade now clad in an elegant white evening gown, featured the mournful ballad surrounded by visuals of a bleak, white-washed forest.

On last year’s Soldier of Love, this writer speculated that the sparse, more subdued arrangements reflected an effort by the band to accommodate Sade’s voice becoming weaker in recent years. At least on this night, that theory has turned out to be erroneous. Sade showed she could still hit those soul-stirring notes with an absolutely riveting performance of “Is It a Crime.” The desperation, anger and heartache of the lyrics and Sade’s voice elicited wild applause and woos after each verse. The conclusion resulted in her umpteenth standing ovation of the night.

The most upbeat moment of the evening came courtesy of Sade’s medley of “Paradise” and “Nothing Can Come Between Us.” On the former, she strutted confidently around the stage, snapping her fingers and posing when the steel drums hit. With the latter, she let two lively male background singers lead the crowd in a call and response for the entire track.

Streaming confetti fell for what appeared to be the concert’s final song, “By Your Side.” The mellow groove once again had everyone standing and swaying to the rhythms. While satisfying, there was one classic song Sade hadn’t covered in her two hours on stage, “Cherish the Day.” With the house lights not coming on, the audience knew to carry on their cheers for a few extra minutes to prompt the encore.

Sade made her final appearance sporting a sultry red dress, walking into view as the opening notes of “Cherish the Day” echoed softly. Sade capped the last verse by having a stage prop propel her at least 20 feet in the air, much to the awe of everyone in attendance.

Sade aptly named this tour Once in a Lifetime. At 52 years old, and releasing new albums roughly every 8-10 years since 1992, there’s no guarantee that Sade will do another worldwide tour on this scale. If she happens to make a stop anywhere near you, do yourself an immense favor and let Sade enchant your soul.

 

BET Awards 2011 Performance Grades: Old School Reigns, Free’s Curves & Patti’s Tribute [VIDEO]

Posted: June 27, 2011 in Concert Reviews
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The 2011 BET Awards are in the books. With events like this, the music is unfortunately secondary. However, the show provided some standout performances that shouldn’t be overlooked in light of the fashion gaffes and other head-shaking moments that have come to characterize any BET live event. Let’s get right into it.

ALICIA KEYS

Ms. Keys doesn’t have any new music to promote, so she went with performing some of her old hits, starting off with a Bruno Mars duet version of “A Woman’s Worth.” Bruno Mars vocals were better than Alicia’s, but he didn’t blow her off the stage. Rick Ross popped in randomly for a quick medley of “Maybach Music 2″ before Keys went into “Fallin’.” Maybe she didn’t have much time to prepare, but the overall feel of the performance was very ho-hum and mailed in.

GRADE- C

CHRIS BROWN

Breezy also took to the medley format for his catalogue. For all his embarrassing personal moments, Brown’s a natural performer, so the dancing and showmanship was there. Busta’s a natural on stage and got the crowd going with his frenetic verse on “Look At Me Now.” Aside from some of the vocals being garbled because of breath control, not too much to complain about here.

GRADE- B

AFTER 7 & THE FIVE HEARTBEATS

I bet you a lot of people there thought the Five Heartbeats were a real group. This was a nice nod to the 90s and After 7 always comes correct with their vocals. Being that it was BET, I was half-expecting them to be funny and have Michael Wright’s unstable character Eddie Keane do something crazy.

GRADE- B+

JILL SCOTT “ROLLING HILLS”

I thank the music gods for Jill Scott. Her talent would excel in any era, as evidenced by this period performance of “Rolling Hills,” off her new album The Light of the Sun. Jill looked radiant and her voice was vibrant and clear. Appreciate her talent while she’s here.

GRADE – A

MARY J. BLIGE

When the image of her magnum opus My Life flashed in the background, I knew I wouldn’t have many complaints. The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul kicked off her set with a nice rendition of her Mary Jane Girls-inspired “All Night Long.” Hearing this, “Joy,” and “Real Love” again was a reminder of how far a lot of R&B has fallen these days. But the best moment was Mary bringing out Anita Baker for a duet of “Caught Up in the Rapture.” Who would’ve thought their vocals would compliment each other so well? Having Khaled come on after Baker was a mood killer, but it’s minor complaint.

GRADE- A-

BET MEMORIAL TRIBUTE

BET has taken a lot of hits over the last few years for messing up tributes at award shows. This time, they got it right. Everyone got covered from the recently deceased M-Bone of Cali Swag District, to Teena Marie and Gil Scott Heron. Every one was paid tribute by one of their peers. The censors ruined Warren G and Snoop Dogg’s “Regulate,” but made up for it when Queen Latifah delivered a flawless rendition of Heron’s “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” That poem is one that requires precise phrasing and delivery. Latifah didn’t miss a beat, and the classic work had a whole new power and perspective coming from the voice of a woman. Ledisi was absolutely phenomenal performing Teena Marie’s “Out On a Limb.” If you weren’t watching the screen, you’d swear it was Marie singing that track in the beginning. Well done.

GRADE- A

TREY SONGZ AND KELLY ROWLAND

With a new hit song under her belt, Kelly Ro has her best chance to truly step into a spotlight of her own. Not sure what she was thinking with the church hat, as the audience needed to see more of her face. The raunchiness here was for the most part PG-13.

GRADE- B

CHERRELLE AND ALEXANDER O’NEAL

Don’t know if Alexander O’Neal was tipsy, but he was pretty much out of it for this entire song. Cherrelle looked great and held things down vocally. Classic song and a surprise moment. I’m sure a lot of households were grooving when this hit.

GRADE- C+

BIG SEAN & CHRIS BROWN

Not great, but not horrible either.  This was just an overall average set with nothing to distinguish it from the evening’s other proceedings.

GRADE- C

PATTI LABELLE TRIBUTE

This fool Ceelo had Patti’s mannerism’s down! What a way to kick off a tribute. Only Ceelo… Looking like a young Angela Bofill, Marsha Ambrosius did an excellent job performing “If Only You Knew,” causing Ms. LaBelle to later state that Marsha was a “bad heffa.” Shirley Ceasar amazingly one-upped Ceelo’s outfit, showing that secular folks have nothing on the anointed when it comes to fashion. Those who are familiar with Patti and Shirley’s music know they’re kindred spirits when it comes to singing spasms. With that said, I’m surprised Fantasia did get an invite.

GRADE- A

BEYONCE

When you talk about live performing and singing, Beyonce remains unrivaled. You never hear her vocals sound winded even after dance routines. That lets you know she’s in real shape, not just comestically. Bey wasn’t even in the country, having her Glastonbury performance streamed over for BET. C’mon Beyonce, you could have at least let little sister Kelly Rowland have the BET Awards.

GRADE- A

DJ KHALED FT. DRAKE, RICK ROSS & LIL WAYNE

No clue why this ended the telecast. After Beyonce, the show’s over.

GRADE- C

THE POWER OF THE BOOTY

Despite the good performances, the talk of the show on Twitter was former 106 & Park host Free’s stunning backside. In my own household, even my woman was in awe. Those of us who kept track of Hip-Hop in the early 2000s were well acquainted with Free’s assets, but natural age and weight has made her even more voluptuous. The thickness appreciation talk even extended to gospel singers Mary Mary and actress Tracee Ellis Ross. It got so bad that while handling post-show interviews, BET made sure that Free was seated for most of the segments. Who’d have thought an ass discussion in Hip-Hop would happen with Nicki Minaj being an afterthought? The lesson? Never underestimate the power of the booty.

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