Travie McCoy Live In London, UK Concert Review

Travis McCoy & Bruno Mars performed at Kings College in London Monday, October 25th.

via Virgin.com

With his debut single ‘Just The Way You Are’ achieving the international number one status, it was no secret that Bruno Mars would be the icing on the cake when it was announced he would support Travie McCoy on his UK tour.



Opening with a well-manufactured rendition of ‘The Other Side’, the singer-songwriter was out to prove he was more than a one trick pony and not just the collaborator that we’ve grown to admire. Performing a number of musical gems including Michael Jackson’s ‘Billy Jean’, Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ (view above) and an alternative remix of B.o.B’s ‘Nothin’ on You’, the American producer left the crowd with an explosion of lyrical fireworks as he serenaded them with “and when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while…”



From the piercing reception Travie McCoy received by just walking onstage, you’d have thought that Take That had announced a comeback with Robbie Williams - oh wait… that did happen. With inhumane frequencies penetrating the four walls of KCLSU, the American rapper kicked the evening off with a surprisingly popular performance of ‘Akidagain’ (view above), before unleashing a powerful performance of ‘Superbad’ where the vocalist sang what seemed to be a personal message on the direction he wants to head in life, “and this is the road of my life; so I’mma have a little fun, ride till I see the sun…”

Taking time out from performing with his band Gym Class Heroes, Travie McCoy made a conscious effort to lock eyes with his London-based followers, showing his appreciation of attending the last night of the UK tour. It was patently obvious that the hip-hop artist was confident and good with words, as he romantically schmoozed the females in the crowd showering them with a thousand compliments; and it worked.

McCoy’s backing band The Lazarus Project (featuring GCH drummer Matt McGinley) teased the crowd to the simple pluck of acoustic guitar that accompanies his summer sensation ‘Billionaire’. If that wasn’t enough, Bruno Mars returned to the stage to sing the euphoric chorus with 500 passionate fans as good-spirits reached an all time high.



It wasn’t all about sunshine and flowers though, as the Gym Class vocalist tore apart at the crowd with his emotionally heartfelt performance of ‘Don’t Pretend’ that contained a taste of bitterness within his lyrics, similar to that of Eminem’s old (and new) material, as he sang “open up my chest and you’ll see; a cold cavity where my heart used to be...”Ploughing through contagious performances of both ‘Need You’ and ‘After Midnight’ (view above) on either side of the encore, McCoy embellished the crowd by taking a trip down memory lane, performing a GCH favourite ‘Cupid’s Chokehold’ and leaving the audience on the verge of a mental breakdown as they celebrated the most monumental and emphatic finish possible.

Photos:
Getty Images

(video courtesy of kbvaghela)

Wu-Tang Clan London, UK Concert Recap

via NME

Wu Tang Clan covered The Beatles classic 'Come Together' as they rounded off their UK tour in London tonight (Wednesday, August 4).

Lead singer RZA rapped over the opener to the Fab Four's 1969 album 'Abbey Road' at the end of their show at Brixton Academy for the band's first show in three years.

The rap collective played a host of tracks from their back catalogue with much of their material leaning towards their 1993 debut album 'Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)'.

Setting out their stall early on, RZA declared: "It is the year 2010 and Wu Tang Clan are on tour. Manchester was off the hook last night (August 3). This is the last night of our tour so we're going to save the best for last."

The tour was their first since 2007 and was meant to include the full line-up. But Method Man pulled out due to filming commitments for an episode of CSI. The rapper previously appeared in The Wire as Calvin 'Cheese' Wagstaff.

RZA acknowledged his absence, apologising to the throng towards the end. "We're sorry Method Man couldn't make it," he said. "He's in Hollywood. We're going to let him know how loud you were though."

RZA also announced his own forthcoming movie project The Man With The Iron Fist to the crowd.

Earlier the band paid tribute to late member Ol' Dirty Bastard, who died of an accidental drug overdose in 2004, by asking the audience to lift up lighters and mobile phones in his honour.

But the biggest cheer of the night was reserved for their only UK hit single 'Gravel Pit', which you can watch below.

Wu Tang Clan played:

'Protect Ya Neck'
'Clan In Da Front'
'Bring Da Ruckus'
'Tearz'
'Triumph'
'Ice Cream'
'Liquid Swords'
'U God'
'Reunited'
'It's Yourz'
'One Blood Under W'
'Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta Fuck Wit'
'Da Mystery of Chessboxin'
'C.R.E.A.M.'
'Baby C'mon'
'Can It All Be So Simple'
'Gravel Pit'
'Come Together'

(video courtesy of kateit17)

Ne-Yo Previews 'Libra Scale' Upcoming Album For UK Press & Media

Report and main photo courtesy of Social Writers.blog

Last night (Thursday July, 8th) we had the pleasure of being invited to the album playback for Ne-Yo's forthcoming new album, 'Libra Scale', at The Hospital Club, Covent Garden.

Ne-Yo himself hosted the event and told us the concept behind his fourth album; the album is based on a short story which he wrote. In short the story is about three rubbish cleaners, Clyde, Leroy and Jerome (who is played by Ne-Yo), who are given super powers by a mysterious man and they are known as The Gentlemen (very clever of Ne-Yo to continue his 'Year of The Gentleman t'heme).There's three rules that they must abide:
1) They must protect the city
2) They can't tell nobody about their powers
3) They can't fall in love
Jerome ends up falling in love with a lady called Pretty Sinclair, so he breaks one of the three rules which then caused a disruption within the equilibrium. After Jerome sleeps with Pretty Sinclair the backfire of falling in love begins; she turns mentally mad, some of Jerome's super powers are given to her and her eyes turn into diamonds. Pretty Sinclair believes Jerome made these things happen to her on purpose so she intends to destroy him and everything his loves, so she becomes his enemy and is known as Diamond Eye. Diamond Eye goes about destroying the city and Clyde and Leroy end up working for her. Jerome does nothing to try and stop her because he loves her.

The mysterious man re-appears as Jerome broke one of the rules and gives Jerome two options to choose from - he must kill Diamond Eye and Pretty Sinclair to make time reverse, or time is reversed and Pretty Sinclair lives, but Jerome must die.

This is the cliff hanger that Ne-Yo left us on.......urging us to want to know what happens next.....

Whilst telling the story, Ne-Yo played us six tracks off of 'Libra Scale':

Champagne Life - represents the 'American Dream' that The Gentlemen are living.

One In A Million - An addictive beat full of drums and base laced with Ne-Yo's signature voice. The track is based on how Jerome feels about Pretty Sinclair.

She Is -A guitar rifted track giving the track a mid tempo yet ballad feel at the same time. Represents when Jerome and Pretty Sinclair are falling in love.

Cause I Said So - An up-tempo club banger filled with funk and RnB. This is Diamond Eye's theme song.

Beautiful Monster - Ne-Yo's current single. Represents Diamond Eye as she's evil but so beautiful you have to have her.

What Have I Done - This track is very Michael Jackson-esque, reminds me of 'She's Out Of My Life' by MJ. The track represents when Jerome is down in the dumps about Diamond Eye/Pretty Sinclair.

The concept of the album is great - fresh, innovative and different! The tracks sound very much like something Michael Jackson would've done, both melodically and lyrically, which was done on purpose. So far only collaboration to feature on the 'Libra Scale' is with rapper Fabolous.....I guess we'll have to wait till September 21st to find out if anybody else will feature.

Photo links:
Punch Bowl
WENN Photo

Also read That Grape Juice's report on the event here.

B.o.B Makes His Official Live Debut In London, England Concert Recap

As reported by Lisa Verrico / London's Times Online

(Thursday, May 27 at King’s College, London) His debut single, Nothin’ on You, shot straight to the top of the charts last week and its follow-up, Airplanes, will be inescapable over the summer. If you don’t know B.o.B now, you soon will.

The Atlanta-based, 21-year-old rapper born Bobby Ray Simmons is already a star in America. Having made waves on the hip-hop scene since his teens, he went to No 1 last month with his debut album, B.o.B Presents the Adventures of Bobby Ray, released here this week. In Britain we prefer our rap home-grown, but B.o.B is proving an exception, not least because his hip-hop sounds more like mainstream pop.

At his first British gig, where he was lavished with chants of “B-O-B” by a crowd who already knew lots of his lyrics, he brought a breath of fresh air back to rap. Looking all of 16 and sporting the silliest pair of trousers since MC Hammer — tight jeans that came up to his waist, but had a crotch that went down to his knees — he may have welcomed the crowd with a swear word, but his songs were packed with positive vibes and his cheery beats harked back to the days when Salt-N-Pepa had hits.



An opening run of tracks taken from his acclaimed mix tapes Cloud 9 and May 25, sung over a basic backing track, showcased B.o.B’s fun, easy flow and ear for a nagging pop hook. He was still solo when the crowd erupted for Airplanes, which had the guest vocalist Hayley Williams from the rock band Paramore only on tape but still came close to stealing the show.



It was when B.o.B brought out his band, however, that he veered from traditional rapper to multi-tasking pop star. A pair of guitarists, a female keyboard player and a bare-chested drummer added rock and reggae to the mix, played a song that recalled Snow Patrol (Letters from Vietnam) and backed the rapper on two beautiful ballads, Satellite and Don’t Let Me Fall.



Before closing with a roof-raising Nothin’ on You, B.o.B broke every rule in rap when he pulled out a stool, sat down and strummed an acoustic guitar. The French horn he plays on the album, sadly, had been left at home.

more footage below.





(video courtesy of erin9208 & Soul Culture)

Chiddy Bang On The Spot Freestyle In London

The crowd at Scala in London (Thursday, May 27) provided the words written on paper plates for subject matter and Chidera "Chiddy" Anamege took it from there in a memorable, one of a kind freestyle.

Photos from the show:
Rex Features

Next week, Chiddy Bang’s four track EP, Opposite of Adults, will be released on June 1 through Virgin Records/EMI Music, but I understand it's still up on iTunes until May 31.

Come August 24, Chiddy Bang's The Swelly Life arrives.

And it will be a busy Summer for the boys as their U.S. tour kicks off in June:

6/09 WEDS – WA – Seattle – Nuemos
6/10 THU – OR – Portland – Berbati’s Pan
6/11 FRI – UT – Salt Lake City- W Lounge
6/12 SAT – NV – Reno- Knitting Factory
6/13 SUN – CA – Chico – Senator Theatre
6/15 TUE – CA – Los Angeles – Key Club
6/16 WED – CA- Pomona – Glasshouse
6/17 THU- CA – San Diego – Brick By Brick
6/18 FRI- PA- Philadelphia – Private Event
6/19 SAT – NV – Las Vegas – Hard Rock Live Pool
6/20 SUN – AZ – Scottsdale – Club After Life
6/21 MON – AZ – Tucson- Club Congress
6/22 TUE – CA – Los Angeles – Cinespace
6/23 WED- CA – San Francisco- KYLD

(video courtesy of jdubsy33)

Alicia Keys "Freedom" Tour London, England O2 Arena Concert Recap

As reported by John Aizlewood / London's Evening Standard

As globe-straddling divas go, there are none less diva-like than Alicia Keys. In a glitzy world of Gagas, Beyoncés, Madonnas, Rihannas and Mariahs, Keys keeps her clothes on and stands out by virtue of what she doesn’t do.

So, last night (Tuesday, May 25), she didn’t do anything especially eccentric — unless having a tubby, bespectacled, kilt-wearing bassist counts — and of her three outfits, two were so dowdy there might be something in those pregnancy rumours, or else Tehran is her Freedom tour’s next stop.

Her stage show was on the unspectacular side of spectacular, and having four keyboards to choose from (including a guitar-style one shaped like a key), she didn’t bother with choreography, leaving that to a gurning dancer who seemed to be tasked with invading her body space throughout the evening. And yet, if we do the honourable thing and ignore what seemed to be Keys’s platitude-related Tourette syndrome (“The most important thing about love is being able to love ourselves... I want you to be a rebel with me tonight...” etc, etc) she triumphed — and triumphed gloriously — with a masterfully judged mix of strength of will and power of song.



Consequently, platitudes notwithstanding, Keys exuded authenticity, and on ballads such as Like The Sea and Pray For Forgiveness she had the precious knack of making the O2 suddenly seem very intimate indeed.

Backed by a crack band attuned to her every nuance and a trio of superlative backing singers, she could do tear-stained epic in the grandstanding Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart, and exuberant up-tempo on the clattering, percussion-propelled Wait ’Til You See My Smile.

Even without Beyoncé, their Put It In A Love Song duet was heady pop at its most hip-wiggling.



The best came last. Her co-write with Jay-Z, Empire State Of Mind, already has the unmistakable feel of a 21st-century standard.

As she delivered it in almost hymnal fashion, for a genuinely emotional moment it felt as if we were all children of the Five Boroughs. She may be short on diva-esque style, but Alicia Keys is all substance.

Photo Links:
Getty Images 1
Getty Images 2
Corbis Images
Wire Image
Rex Features
WENN Photo 1
WENN Photo 2

Alicia Keys 2010 Element of Freedom Tour Dates:

5/26 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/29 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Evening News Arena
5/31 - Paris, France - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
6/2 - Barcelona, Spain - Palau Sant Jordi
6/4 - Lyon, France - Halle Tony Garnier

(video courtesy of KaFicagna)

Gorillaz With Mos Def Live In London, UK + Concert Review, Video, Photos and Set List

via NME

Gorillaz made their live return to the UK (Thursday, April 29), joined onstage in London by a host of guests from across their three albums.

Despite the global nature of their collaborations, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett were able to recruit the likes of Bobby Womack, De La Soul, Shaun Ryder and Super Furry Animals' Gruff Rhys to Camden's Roundhouse.

Taking to the stage to the intro to this year's 'Plastic Beach', accompanied by a series of Jamie Hewlett's visuals, which paced the whole show, the Gorillaz band - including The Clash's Mick Jones & Paul Simonon, both sporting sailors hats, on guitar and bass - were joined by strings (also in nautical attire) and backing singers as they kicked off with 'Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach', with Snoop Dogg's rap delivered via a specially commissioned video.

Albarn, who began the gig on keyboards, then took centre stage, leading vocals on the 'Demon Days' track 'Last Living Souls', before returning to the back of the stage for 'O Green World' and then taking up a guitar for 'On Melancholy Hill'.



The collective then introduced their first guests of the night, as Mos Def and Womack took to the stage to loud applause for 'Stylo'.

Afterwards, Albarn was back throwing himself about for 'Rhinestone Eyes', then after chilling out on 'Broken', he was then joined by Little Dragon's Yukimi Nagano for 'Empire Ants'.

Bootie Brown then made an appearance rapping on 'Dirty Harry', before the Syrian National Orchestra were brought out for 'White Flag' with Kano and Bashy supplying vocals after an extended intro.

De La Soul then made their first appearance of the night, sharing the stage with Gruff Rhys for 'Superfast Jellyfish', they were followed by Shaun Ryder and the 'real life' Noodle, singer Rosie Wilson for a crowd pleasing version of 'Dare'.

'Glitter Freeze' was performed next without The Fall's Mark E Smith - though he is expected for the gig at the same venue tomorrow - while after 'El Mañana', soul legend Womack returned for a moving rendition of 'Cloud Of Unknowning', which he ended by thanking the crowd, the first person to speak during the gig.

Briefly leaving the stage, Gorillaz returned with Mos Def kicking of the encore on a pounding version of 'Sweepstakes'.



Little Dragon's Nagano was then back to duet with Albarn on 'To Binge', while De La Soul were out in force for a riotous version of 'Feel Good Inc'.

The group then rounded the show off with a bass heavy version of first album track and former single 'Clint Eastwood', waving to the crowd as they left the stage after the song's climax.

Gorillaz played:

'Orchestra Intro'
'Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach'
'Last Living Souls'
'O Green World'
'On Melancholy Hill'
'Kids With Guns'
'Stylo'
'Rhinestone Eyes'
'Broken'
'Empire Ants'
'Dirty Harry'
'White Flag'
'Superfast Jellyfish'
'Dare'
'Glitter Freeze'
'El Mañana'
'Cloud Of Unknowing'
'Sweepstakes'
'To Binge'
'Feel Good Inc'
'Clint Eastwood'

Photo links:
Wire Image
Rex Features

(video courtesy of alistairburns)

Mos Def Live At Shepherd's Bush Empire In London, UK Concert Review

As reviewed by Jasmine Phull at Skiddle.com from Thursday night's April 15 show At Shepherd's Bush Empire London, UK.

Amidst a decadent display of red and white roses and under a flood of moody red lighting, the lyrical genius introduced himself. "My name is Yasin Dante Terrell Smith-Bey, known to many across the world as Mos Def".

It was a formal introduction that began an hour-long blaze of songs from the rapper’s newest work The Ecstatic, all the while punctuated with tunes from his earlier albums.

Donning thin braces, a cap and a fully grown beard the ‘Boogyman’ gripped an old school microphone before kicking it off with Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious-like ‘Supermagic’, laced with a winding guitar and rock ‘n roll inflexions.



With swagger and presence the hip-hop flavoured stylings continued with the Madlib-produced ‘Auditorium’, ‘Priority’ and ‘Life in Marvelous Times’. It was a show fuelled by heavy funk, hooks and samples. ‘Quiet Dog’ saw Mos Def manning a massive drum-kit; bashing out a rapturous rhythm while simultaneously rapping. It was an example of his unorthodox approach to hip hop yet left some a little bored and less than bemused.

A unanimous sea of head-nods was in full swing when classics including beat-laden ‘Mathematics’ and song ‘Hip Hop’ - with its lyrical prowess: "Speech is my hammer, bang the world into shape" - took centre stage.

Those that came to hear Mos Def circa ‘99's ‘Black on Both Sides’ were finally in their element. The veteran mused about opening a ‘24-hour karate school’ before dropping a new tune of the same name. The audience instantly took to the ravenous rhythm, excited at the prospect of an impending fifth album.

Through charm, humour and a sage-like approach, the sometime thespian, well known for his recent role in Michel Gondry’s film Be Kind Rewind, proved to be a garrulous and gracious host. "You could have been anywhere in the world, but you’re here with us".

Not one to shy away from gratitude he constantly thanked the crowd for their presence: "Thank you for spending your money and most importantly time". Yet on occasions it became gratuitous, lessening his resonance as the Mighty Mos Def; hip hop extraordinaire.

Joined only by a trusty duo of DJs, the Brooklyn MC would have better benefited from an accompanying live band; at times the stage seemed bare and his charismatic performance and surprisingly great vocal range struggled to rescue the stage from a slight lacklustre.

For someone who in the past revelled as a witty wordsmith, it seems the beat maverick has become more about the percussion - his vocals taking a back-seat. The Ecstatic showcases his trademark experimental vision in which the MC acts as an accompaniment rather than a hedonistic front-man. Mos Def has managed to champion and revitalise the rap game while maintaining artistic respect for the culture that made him who he is today; a hip-hop ambassador.

more fan shot video below.







(video courtesy of Ela1994SI & Moodkid)

Lloyd Banks - 'Big Bully' (video directed by 50 Cent)

While Lloyd Banks and 50 Cent were in the UK on the 'Before I Self Destruct' Tour, 50 had an opportunity to use his newly purchased Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera (as seen here) & personally shoot Lloyd's new music video 'Big Bully.'

Lloyd Banks new album Hunger For More 2 will be arriving this Summer.

50 Cent At Wembley Arena London, UK Concert Review

As reported by Lisa Verrico / Times London

The blocks of empty seats at the back of the arena were a sign. So, too, the number of parents who had come with their young kids — little boys in backwards baseball caps can be cute, but not cool. Throw in that teenagers were vastly outnumbered by women in their thirties who shrieked at every glimpse of 50 Cent’s enviably toned torso, and it was clear that gangsta rap can no longer call itself hip.

Of course, record sales have reflected the genre’s decline for a few years. Just half a decade ago 50 Cent was hip hop’s best-selling star, thanks as much to a bad-boy image plundered from his past as expletive-strewn songs that lacked the finesse of his mentor Eminem. Today, 50 — or Fiddy, or Curtis James Jackson III — still makes millions, but from flogging branded products (his most lucrative line is a vitamin drink) rather than selling songs.

Still, he seemed delighted to be back on stage, supposedly to promote the current album Before I Self-Destruct, really to big up his brand. A giant backdrop of the album’s cover art showing half of his handsome face burning from the inside couldn’t have been more at odds with the mile-wide smile he sported all evening or the sweetness with which he thanked the crowd for coming.

Musically the gig was hit-and-miss, though for factors other than the songs. The sound, particularly at the start, was woeful — the bass was barely audible, the beats so distorted that they could have been coming from a passing car with its windows up. Too often 50 Cent’s own, surprisingly seductive, R&B-tinged vocals were entirely drowned out by two below-par backing rappers from his G-Unit squad. That he had brought along a four-piece band as well as a DJ was admirable, though he made sparse use of them. All the show’s finest moments featured the band, notably when they were let loose on melodic, mid-tempo tracks such as P.I.M.P. and Do You Think About Me.

The performance was predictable and at times enchanting. Predictable because at least of half of it comprised 50 Cent waving both arms up and down as though leading an aerobics class for the elderly; enchanting because, for all his ludicrous posturing, 50 Cent has charisma in spades. He stripped off more often than the Pussycat Dolls, changing outfits every few songs just so that he could throw more clothes into the crowd — one leather jacket lasted less than 30 seconds on his back before being flung into the arms of a fan.

Yet around every corner was another cheesy cliché. After an energetic medley of Magic (Stick), Candy Shop and Beamer, Benz or Bentley that had the crowd screaming his name, 50 Cent dedicated the classic 21 Questions to “my lay-deez” by holding his mike at his crotch and stroking it. Oh dear.

more fan shot footage below.



(video courtesy of Kingexpression & xfran23)

Related:
50 Cent Wembley Arena London, UK Concert (with video & photo links)

50 Cent Wembley Arena London, UK Concert

At last night's (Saturday, March 20) 50 Cent 'Before I Self Destruct' date at Wembley Arena London England, UK.

Photos:
Getty Images
Rex Features

50 Cent ‘Before I Self Destruct’ 2010 Tour dates:

March 21 – Dublin, Ireland – O2 Dublin
March 22 – Belfast, UK – Odyssey Arena
March 25 – Manchester, UK – Men Arena
March 27 – Santa Cruz De Tenerife, Canary Islands – Recinto Ferial de Tenerife
March 29 – Sicily, Italy – Palatapparello
March 31 – Skopje, Macedonia – Boris Trajkovski Arena
April 01 – Belgrade, Serbia – Belgrade Arena
April 03 – St Petersburg, Russia – New Arena
April 05 – Moscow, Russia – Olimpiski
April 06 – Warsaw, Poland – Torwar

(video courtesy of 2124bennyb1)

Flying Lotus On Gilles Peterson's BBC 1 Radio Show Previewing 'Cosmogramma' (stream)

Hear the entire Gilles Peterson's BBC 1 Radio Show program (which originally aired Wednesday March 10th) as Flying Lotus mashes up his latest offering known as 'Cosmogramma' (and more) out in the states May 4.

The radio stream will only be available until Wednesday March 17th 2010.
You have been notified!

Listen here:
Flying Lotus On Giles Peterson's BBC 1 Radio Show Previewing 'Cosmogramma' (stream)

Related:
Flying Lotus 'Cosmogramma' New Album May 4

DJ Krush London, UK Date Announced

via the press release

The Sensai returns to London for a solo show set to expand the minds of anyone in the vicinity of the Electric Ballroom, following on from the battle with his protege Kentaro in October where to most present he maintained his place on the top of the turntablist ladder. With some exclusive tracks from the forthcoming new LP (out late 2010) this is a not-to-be-missed show for any fans of hip-hop, turntablism and musical progression!

DJ Krush is arguably the most gifted producer & DJ in the world with a superb sense in mixing and composing who's been lauded for years by both his domestic and the international audience. Probably the most revered and renowned Japanese musician alive; the very fact of this unprecedented esteem goes some way toward justifying his laurels alone.

Krush's introduction to hip-hop came like that of so many others, through the movie Wildstyle. But unlike most of us this single event inspired the young Krush to form a posse which immediately became the greatest in Japan where it remained until Krush went solo in '92, and on to even greater prestige.

He was also the first DJ to use turntables as live instruments, doing free sessions with live musicians on stage and comes at you in '08 as the battle hardened veteran of dance floor killing shows from here to Burkina Faso. Expect a live turntablism display unlike anything you have seen before.

For tickets, go here:
DJ Krush @ The Electric Ballroom

Madlib Profiled In The Guardian UK Newspaper

Here's something you might want to type into Google to help you make your own personal radio show: the Last Electro-Acoustic Space Jazz & Percussion Ensemble. You might just want to type it into Google because it's a very lovely thing to type. And then, as a reward, it will take you somewhere. You'll come across a new album by them called Miles Away (Stones Throw), which isn't totally what you think it is because of that title, and yet is – it's not directly a Miles thing but an electronically moderated tribute to a kind of hard, ethereal post-bop jazz that mixes the free and the arranged, the drum and the horn. Put it this way: it'll take you nicely on your radio show from Ascenseur pour l'échafaud Miles to this minute's Gorillaz. Then you can play Floating Points, Flying Lotus and Flying Lizards, and take it from there.

Actually, Miles Away sounds like music you could hear on Radios 2, 3 and, to some extent, 4, but it's not likely to appear on many commercial playlists. As smart, accessible, gorgeous and right on the dissolving, accelerating now as it is, as elegantly conceived to look and sound great as a prized vinyl object, summoning all sorts of longing and learning, it doesn't fit into known grooves, or safely known avant-genres, even though ultimately it's jazz-related and rooted in hip-hop adventure. It's jazz for those who like their jazz deeply cosmic, to suggest where the great Blue Note acts might be in a post-sampling, post-rock, post-web, post-computer game world, jazz for those who like their jazz to have a relationship with tradition that is both respectful and mischievous.

The Last Electro-Acoustic Space Jazz & Percussion Ensemble is yet another alias of the sound-spinning, time-jumping, music-mapping many voiced multi-instrumentalist Madlib, who never stops, who cannot keep still and is hard to keep up with, as he sorts out his agile, vigilant mind by jumping from character to character, project to project, scene to scene, decade to decade, punch line to punch line. He's Prince as hallucinated by Philip K Dick, Coltrane running through the veins of Burroughs, himself more or less aka someone else altogether. He's spent a lot of the past few years fixing into place, and then moving away from that place, eloquent fusions of hip-hop and jazz, inventing groups, and then playing all the roles and instruments in these imaginary groups, so that he's Kamala Walker of the Soul Tribe, Monk Hughes of the Outer Realm, Eddie Prince with the Fusion Band, Ahmad Miller of the Suntouch; he's everyone in Yesterdays New Quintet, jamming among his many competing, combining selves. I think. Don't hold me to any of this.

As soon as you think you might have caught up with his new name(s), latest release, current sound, freshest calculation, he's somewhere else, following a new lead, reworking an old gag, digging up more buried treasure, on the run to the inside and outside of everything.

He moves so fast and fluidly through ideas and possibilities, creating a personal, brilliant history of music as he mixes himself and his other personalities with possibly real collaborators and ways of paying tribute to, say, Stevie Wonder, the Trojan label, the Blue Note label, movie soundtracks, jazz hybrids known only to the most fervent connoisseur, that he almost becomes invisible. Perhaps if he stayed in one place one time, instead of tripping behind blurring names, masks, identities, passions, visions, revisions, disclosures, his latest album, his latest blast from a past he makes seem like the future, he might get more of the fashionable attention. But fame to him is just another illusion he's messing around with. He's taking the chasing of freedom to sensational extremes.

Another way of looking at it is that Madlib, this master manipulator of history, ego, sound, electronics and image, this boastful anti-publicist, is the ultimate superstar of a new ghostly, free-forming alternative universe, a dark, crazed underground you can reach into through that tempting Google door, another shape-shifting reality made up of found and remade realities, a hyper-electric zone where you can organise endless presences, and presents, for yourself.

Yes, there are numerous attractive pop stars out and about at the moment, all piling on top of each other, all building on the shapes, poses, publicity stunts and role-playing antics of various antecedents, sounding wonderful if a little shallow, all being showered with awards, places in pop charts and playlists, stars on Amazon, all relishing their ability to exploit and dominate the far-fetched internet era to ensure the success of their ever-present glamour and state-of-the-art fuss – but this far into the 21st century, to be as fixed, as regular, as just another update, a latest minor correction, to Prince or Bowie or Madonna or (T. Rex) Bolan or Grace (Jones?) seems a little old-fashioned, a tame, actually conservative way of reacting to and reflecting all the technological and environmental changes happening everywhere at each given moment.

Hidden deep in the turbulent centreless centre of all this diverting possibility, cut off from the lively but mundane pop civilisation as represented by the award shows, the famous faces and the mainstream indie websites, fragmenting his personality, his relative fame, his musical enthusiasms into more and more randomly interrelated bits, exists Madlib. The racy, shady, mad king of this other, oddly realer, world. The invisible, improvising, abstract superstar, experimenting with time, scattering clues all over the less than secure place, checking out the limits of the imagination, hinting how we might operate in the future, where we will be able to freely select, compile and adjust our multiple identities and the numerous dimensions we inhabit. Now that's what you want a musician to do: see into the future by listening to the past to remake the present. Even if very few notice at the time. (source)

MF Doom Live At London's Roundhouse Concert Recap

via the BBC

Unsurprisingly though, his much anticipated slot at London’s Roundhouse (Friday March 5) amongst a lineup promoting Sonar festival was shrouded in as much mystery as his facial appearance.

With numerous stories of impostors and stand-ins circulating, many speculated about whether this would be the sort of showcase for which the Barcelona event has become renowned or purely a charade based on the notion of an incredibly skilled recording artist.

Almost certainly, the figure who appeared for the opening Madvillainy track Meat Grinder was not the same individual who performed the rest of the gig.

Nevertheless, taking the next Doom we were given at his word, it proved to be a stunning exposition of why the New York MC’s lyrical style blends so well with the sort of intricate beats for which producer Madlib (the other half of the Madvillain project) is renowned.

The combination pits throbbing bass and often curious time signatures against a disarmingly direct and darkly comic vocal flow, and it’s an irresistible cocktail, particularly on tracks from last year’s release Born Like This.

Doom’s litany of collaborators, such as Danger Doom with Dangermouse, Wu Tang Clan, Nas, Talib Kweli, De La Soul and his appearance on the Gorillaz track November Has Come, point to his incredible versatility, and hopefully this live outing opens the gates for combinations of that calibre to finally make it to this side of the Atlantic.

It’s hard not to wonder quite who was presented as Doom for the first track, and it’ll be interesting to see whether other crowds tolerate it. Fans at a recent gig in Chicago were disappointed to find the whole set performed by a stand-in, but the Roundhouse crowd seemed willing to forgive the mis-step.

In a sense talk of impostors and speculation about new material (there’s said to be several albums on the way) feels a little academic.

Doom’s managed to occupy such an important – if sometimes understated – place in the development of hip hop in recent times that these first gigs on European soil are merely a catch up on the past decade. Once audiences have got over that, they’ll demand more.

Photos:
Flickr (MF DOOM photos) by Def Danny
Flickr (MF DOOM photos) by encosion (Tim Ferguson)

Also, Def Danny's account of the MF Doom concert on his blog site:
A Tribe Called Next - Who is the masked man? Doom?…

And Lucid Mover account of the show on his blog:
Lucid Mover - DOOM @ Roundhouse

more fan shot video below.









(video courtesy of jordang187, Stevenhoward09 & Pundrick12345)

Jay Electronica At London's Jazz Cafe Concert Review

via Music Like Dirt

(Thursday, February 18) Looking dapper in an immaculately tailored suit, like Louis Farrakhan guesting on Mad Men, Electronica is witty, engaging and utterly at ease on stage. Early in the gig he jokingly asked if we’d mind if he had a Jack Daniels to ease his nerves. Pouring himself one he asked if anyone else wanted a glass to which an American on the balcony yelled down “Yes, Up here”. Later he admonishes him for asking for more, calling him a “rude American” while pouring him another anyway. After running out of glasses a girl at the side of the stage requests a swig to which Jay goes to enquire if she’s got cooties… before saying what the hell I’ll just catch whatever you’ve got.

All very amusing… until midway through he set Jay abruptly stops and staring straight at my head poking up above the throng declares “this guy here is the only person still making me nervous“. To general chuckles he wanders over and enquires my name, “Leon!!”…oh Neil he says when corrected.
“Neil, Why are you making me nervous?” he gently demanded. At which point Id love to say I came back with a witty retort, but no I just stood and let my cheeks cycle through a variety of purple tinged shades. “Are you here with your girl?” came the next question… “no“… “then why are you making me nervous…if it isn’t because you think Im going to steal your girl!?” Clearly by now he’d taken pity on me and in his best Dick Van Dyke accent declared “Im only joking… what a handsome bloke!“… clarifying as he walked away “but not in a gay way!“. And who says Americans don’t do sarcasm!

One of his numerous unreleased tracks “Dear Moleskine” got the evening started. Its typical of Jay’s leftfield nature that the track first leaked as part of a trailer for a supposed feature length film featuring Electronica exploring the globe talking to characters like Monks at the Bodinath Buddhist Temple in Kathmandu. Unreleased or not, the crowd knew every word, mouthing each one along with Jay.

Overall he performed surprisingly little of his own material, he rapped some Nas and early in the evening a heartfelt tribute to J Dilla.
Asking the crowd to imagine Dilla in hospital wired up to machines with doctors telling him by rights he should be already be dead. Such was Dilla’s love of working on his music, Jay said, that instead of feeling self pity he asked for his MPC to be hooked up by his bedside.
With the “Waves” beat playing he asked everyone to take out a lighter/mobile anything that shines and hold it up in respect of Dilla. For a minute or two he just zoned out as it played telling us to feel this beat is being communicated to you from his death bed. It might have been moving but unfortunately an argument was breaking out next to me between some girls up the front and a very young inebriated young black boy cruelly trapped in the body of a white boy from Surrey. They reasonably objected to his constant “brapping” and gesticulating with his hand onto their heads.

Read the full concert review here:
Music Like Dirt - Jay Electronica @ The Jazz Cafe

More fan shot footage below.





(video courtesy of thenowschool

Gorillaz: Telegraph UK Newspaper Gives 'Plastic Beach' 5 Star Album Review

Their official Facebook page may list Essex as Gorillaz’ HQ, but this action- packed concept album finds the cartoon band on an isolated island constructed entirely of consumer detritus and exploring the melancholy beauty of mankind’s interaction with the natural world. It’s a great metaphor for the playful way Damon Albarn has built up the Gorillaz’ danceably eclectic sound from offcuts of hip hop, funk, alternative rock, pop, world and electronica. He doesn’t steal, borrow or lazily recycle from other genres. He lovingly salvages the things they’ve left behind, like a hip, 21st century Womble.

And the shiny, platinum-selling pop songs he assembles from this musical bric-a-brac have attracted a deliciously disparate collective of artists to Plastic Beach.

The album opens with a warm wash of oceanic strings, before hitting a shore of hard, dissonant brass notes – powerfully reminiscent of that sinister old Open University theme music. Then the hip hop beat drops in to the bark of Plastic Beach’s first celebrity inhabitant. Snoop Doggy Dogg greets us like a guard dog pacing back and forth on the island’s perimeter, while Albarn’s distorted voice hovers above like a melodic military drone. From there the seductive rat-a-tat tabla, flute and strings of the Lebanese National Orchestra lures us into the arms of London grime rappers Bashy and Kano, who prepare us to meet some big names along the road.

For the kids, this record will be like hearing a coolly remixed version of their parents’ iPods on shuffle. Albarn’s scavenged up Eighties soul sweater Bobby Womack, the Clash’s Mick Jones and Paul Simonon, hip hop grandmasters De La Soul and narky post-punker Mark E Smith.

Plastic Beach’s finest moment comes when laconic ol’ Lou Reed slouches in for the transcendent Some Kind of Nature. He’s beachcombing for “some kind of majesty/some chemical low/some kind of metal made from glue/some kind of plastic I can wrap around you” while Albarn’s brine-brimming, manga-eyed falsetto reminds him that “all we are/is stars”.

All that Eastern philosophy Albarn read while writing Monkey – Journey to the West must have rubbed off – Plastic Beach plays out like the Tao of 2010. (source)

Musiq Soulchild, Donell Jones & Avant: Live At London's Brixton Academy

Quality fan shot footage below







Musiq Soulchild, Donell Jones & Avant were the main acts that performed Friday February 12 at London's Brixton Academy, as part of a Valentine's Day UK tour.

(video courtesy of HabeshaHookUp)

Mark Ronson & Theophilus London Form New Group - Chauffeur

via BBC Radio

Brooklyn rapper Theophilus London and has teamed up with Black and Gold singer Sam Sparro and Mark Ronson on a new side-project, recording under the alias of Chauffeur.

The supergroup have been laying down tracks in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and the latest edition to their repertoire is a cover of Glamorous Life by Sheila E.

Before Christmas, they premiered their first offering online, an original song called Soles of Fire, in which Theophilus said they are singing about "women and the west-side highway, and the beach".

He seems to be a man of many collaborations, claiming studio time with the likes of Damon Albarn, Solange Knowles and Jack Penate.

Theopilus also hopes to work with BBC Sound of 2010 winner Ellie Goulding this year.

This is all while he's been working on a new solo record called Days Before You Left, which should be done by the Summer.

'We just clicked'

As for how he met Mr Ronson, Theophilus said: "I met Mark a year ago. He asked me to come down to his radio show in New York city and we just clicked. He invited me to his house and we just listened to music for like six hours.

"We became friends and started making music together. His new stuff is sounding really amazing, and it’s just been a great, creative friendship."

He told us what it was like being in the studio with the producer, who's worked with the likes of Amy Winehouse, Kaiser Chiefs and Lily Allen.

"He works a lot in his mind," he explained. "He doesn’t really say much but you can tell what he did. He knows when he hears something off and right.

"It’s just a click, it’s a mutual thing in the studio with Mark. He’s easy to work with and he knows what he wants to hear, so it was great."

As for seeing Chauffeur live, he said they've played two shows in New York and are planning a gig in London, late March or April.

Talib Kweli Live At The Indigo2 London Concert Review

As reported by Chris Mugan at UK's Independent

Most rappers want to tell you about where they are from, but few can take you there as completely as this compact performer from Brooklyn. One highlight of a rare European appearance (Sunday, January 31) is a zingy run through hip-hop classics and familiar samples. Talib Kweli freestyles over them all as if at a block party in a New York project.

His problem, though, is not so much where he is at, but where he is heading. Kweli emerged in the late-1990s as part of Black Star, with the brilliant Mos Def, and remained underground until he took the major-label shilling for 2007's Eardrum, a rambling sprawl of an album, confused by big-name involvement from Will.i.am and Justin Timberlake. The founder of his own Blacksmith label may rail against inequality, but from early on has tried to dodge the label of conscious hip-hop artist.

To pursue that agenda, he has titled his next solo album Prisoner of Consciousness, but before that comes a more low-key release. Kweli has returned to his side-project, Reflection Eternal, with Cincinnati producer DJ Hi-Tek – last heard 10 years ago. For Revolutions Per Minute, due in April, the artist who can count on contributions from the likes of Kanye West and Nas has gone back to basics. Live, the rapper performs solo with only his tour DJ on a bare stage and, frankly, this is all Kweli needs.

When lines are flowing in quick succession, his rhymes and rhythms are intoxicating, especially when DJ Chaps cuts off the backing tracks for Kweli to perform a cappella. Even on the more hard-hitting tracks, volume is expertly judged, so you hear the rapper clearly – and it pays to pay attention. On his only UK date of this run, he has a lot to get through, squeezing in number after number and little of the in-between patter that slows down momentum at so many hip-hop events. Kweli regularly runs tracks together, both the earlier album Eardrum's better tunes – that mix clever word-play with sharp hooks – and promising cuts from Revolutions.

At his best, Kweli fires high-velocity verses over Hi-Tek's no-nonsense productions built on sparse beats and warm soul samples. He is technically impressive, without taking the genre anywhere new. Nor does the son of two professors have much to say of contemporary relevance, bar a curt "Tony Blair is a criminal" tossed into a wider tirade against politicians.

(video courtesy of makavelibech07)