Why do I even bother going to reggae shows? I don't touch ganja and I'm notoriously impatient. I'm just not equipped to "be happy".
It was disappointing but not surprising, consequently, that the guy working the door of the Beaumont Club a couple nights ago warned me that the night's headliner, Lee "Scratch" Perry, wasn't even in the building when I arrived after ten. As I forked over thirty dollars, I advised the bouncers that I'd burn the place down Scratch-stylee if the legend wasn't on stage in an hour's time.
The Westport club was nearly torched.
After an hour of listening to his backup band riff tediously- they resembled a Robin Trower tribute act that had just learned to play reggae three months ago- an unmistakable voice cried, "Hello hello hello hello hello hello hello!"
My frustration evaporated as one of my true musical heroes appeared from behind a curtain. Nothing he performed was remotely as good as this or even this. I was pleased, however, that he still possesses an obsession with fire. As a woman says in that loony clip, the Upsetter "lives in a sort of different dimension." I even caught a glimpse of it when I looked into the eyes of the 73-year-old legend as I shook his hand.
Joel Francis wrote a proper review of the show. And the Pitch's photographer has a really nice camera.
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Kansas City native Chris Connor has died. Here's Steve Paul's obituary. The jazz vocalist was featured at There Stands the Glass in 2008.
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Kansas City Click: AU makes new age music for hipsters. The group drones Tuesday at the Pistol Social Club.
(Original images by There Stands the Glass.)
3 comments:
Bill,
I worried this was the case as the DJ kept spinning and spinning and Lionize played a 40-minute opening set. Like you, I had my doubts Perry would show up until I actually saw him take the stage.
It was nice bumping into. Thanks for the link and the photos.
Apparently he arrived at KCI around ten. To be fair, I can't imagine how he ever gets through airport security...
He and George Clinton need to go on the road together for the Funky Grandpa tour. It would save TSA a lot of time (and likely be a heck of a show).
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