The music performed at the Granada Theater on Thursday -- all four hours of it -- was excellent. Still, the most striking element of the night had nothing to do with hip-hop.
Both the overflow audience and the performers on stage were soaring on an exultant post-election high. The festivities resembled a giddy New Year's Eve celebration.
"Even though this is a Red State," said Slug of headlining act Atmosphere, "are you happy about the situation we're in?"
The audience exploded with jubilant shouts.
Every one of the night's MCs referenced Tuesday's election. Accordingly, a large portion of their lyrics were cast in a new light.
The audience's good cheer helped make the club's congestion tolerable. The theater was filled to absolute capacity, which was no surprise: Atmosphere, the Minnesota-based duo of Slug and Ant, are perhaps the most successful practitioners of underground hip-hop. The audience hung on Slug's every word -- and there were a lot of them.
"I'm f***ing running out of material up here," Slug admitted toward the end of a two-hour set of songs about addiction, hangovers, poverty and failed relationships.
In spite of the lengthy set list, some fans might have been disappointed. A rendition of "You," Atmosphere's current hit, lasted less than a minute.
"I'm not going to fake it for you," Slug said in a lengthy explanation of why he had "retired" a few of his most popular songs. He compromised on "Scapegoat." After denying repeated requests for the song, it was finally rendered in a "Ben Folds Five version."
Such improvisation was made possible through the presence of a keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist. They allowed Atmosphere's sound to bounce from hip hop to jazz to metal. A few songs, most notably "Yesterday," were given a highly effective gospel feel. And even though Slug jokingly introduced it as a cover of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under the Bridge," the harrowing "Guarantees" was the night's emotional capstone.
Mac Lethal appeared as a surprise guest. The audience rapped along with "Black Widow Spider" and "Calm Down Baby," but the Kansas City-based artist shone brightest while battling Slug during a hilarious freestyle session near the end of the show.
The evening's first two acts were a study in contrast. Blueprint's staccato style was combative. Abstract Rude was smooth and genial. "Obama inherited a crazy ass world," he intoned. "Where do we go from here?"
| Bill Brownlee, The Star
No setlist??? Most reviews here have setlists with them.
Posted by: Gonzo | November 07, 2008 at 07:30 PM