Music seen, at the Big Easy, March 26, 2007
By TODD RICHARD | April 4, 2007
There were but a few heads in the room at the beginning of the night. We’ll call these few the faithful, not because they were dedicated, but because they appeared to believe that something was about to go down in a major way.
DJ Shade, Iron Fader champion and turntablist anti-hero, used the decks to steer the slowly congregating audience toward what would be the focus of the night. The massive four-turntable rig was also deftly manned by Boondocks. As they ratcheted up the game, dropping tracks by legacy MCs like Nas, Common, and Guru, the audience grew in size and expectation. A pair of extremely talented breakdance artists carved the dance floor with inexplicable contortions that spun out into unthinkable floor gymnastics. The live rhythm section duo took their respective places on stage behind their bass and drums. At midnight, Shadezilla read the mixture of MCs and the swelling crowd, and declared simply that it was “time to get some MCs up here.”
A dozen or so heads flanked the stage, passing the mic after spitting a verse they had written, or, better yet, rhyming off the top of the dome. Bass and drums nimbly traded beats with the DJs, each taking their turn to lead or sit back and accent. They showed respect and restraint, letting the MCs have their chance to shine.
The high point of the evening was undoubtedly Andre Hicks. A veteran lyricist from Portland’s formative hip-hop years, he has recently returned after a lengthy hiatus with obvious drive and desire. His rhyme style served as a lesson for every younger artist in the audience. Take note: this man is just getting started.
Topics:
New England Music News
, Mac Dre, Todd Richard
