Concert Review: Atmosphere and Evidence at VooDoo

Evidence affirmed the hip-hop hierarchy of the evening during the first song he performed at VooDoo on Saturday by noting that “I’m Rhymesayers' number three under Slug and Ali.”  Slug is half of the headlining act Atmosphere.  Brother Ali is his supremely talented stablemate at Rhymesayers, the Minneapolis record label that has issued more than a dozen classic hip-hop albums since its formation in 1995.

Evidence, a member of the California hip-hop group Dilated Peoples that’s best known for the 2004 song “This Way”, was riveting in a 45-minute opening set.  He has enough bars to supply an expansion of the penitentiary in Leavenworth.  An unrecorded list of tips for less polished performers that included drinking room temperature water, not allowing your crew to join you on stage and the proper way to stage dive (a feat he perfectly executed) provided one of the evening’s most memorable moments.  Most of the audience of about 1,000- a crowd that Slug characterized as “a bunch of dirty, stinky, white people”- didn’t know what to make of Evidence and only responded enthusiastically to his weed references.

Slug, Ant and Plain Ole Bill performed songs about suicide, self-loathing, domestic violence and hangovers for 90 minutes.  Slug was his usual outrageous self.  He claimed that “the only thing I like to do more than masturbate is bust rhymes and freestyle” and suggested that there “ain’t nothin’ like a broken bottle to the face to put put a (batterer of women) on the right path.”  I felt “sick and contradictive” as I joined communal rap-alongs to “GodLovesUgly,” “Guarantees” and “Trying To Find a Balance,” harrowing songs that redefined the scope and meaning of Midwestern hip-hop.

Atmosphere’s sound hasn’t changed much since the release of its 1997 debut album Overcast.  Once cutting-edge, Ant’s soul-soaked production and Slug’s confessional lyrics are now part of hip-hop’s rearguard.  XXXTentacion, the rapper who is expected to have the top album in the country this week, is 25 years younger than Slug.  The controversial upstart rejects everything about hip-hop that Atmosphere fans hold dear.

The sudden realization that the once-subversive Atmosphere and Evidence had somehow become old-school traditionalists devastated me.  I'd inadvertently paid $35 to attend an oldies concert.  When Slug asked “who’s your favorite rapper” during a duet with Evidence on “Powder Cocaine” in the encore, I was too rattled to respond.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Migos- Culture II

Why’s everybody picking on Migos?  Even one of my favorite locally based rappers joined the indignant mob that’s bashing the group.  The herd mentality has it wrong.  Culture II, the Atlanta trio’s new album, may be even more entertaining than last year’s massive breakout release Culture.  If Culture II works as a failsafe party-starter in the dead of winter, I can only imagine how combustible it’ll be in July.  Criticizing Migos’ laughable lyrics is folly.  The hilarious ignorance of Offset, Quavo and Takeoff on bangers like “Stir Fry” is an essential component of Migos’ appeal.  Migos is all about staccato rhythms and wavy vibes, attributes in abundant supply on the 105-minute release.  Ingrates whine that Culture II is too long.  That’s like complaining that a case of beer is too heavy.


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I write weekly concert previews for The Kansas City Star.

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I featured Rubeo on my weekly spotlight on locally based musicians for KCUR.

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Blues saxophonist Eddie Shaw has died.  I’m fortunate to have seen the member of Howlin’ Wolf’s band perform a handful of times.

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Wut.  The sax-wielding Kansas City band Merlin manages to evoke both the classic metal of Iron Maiden and the zany prog-rock of Van der Graaf Generator on the astonishing Wizard.  If the lackluster vocalist were supplanted by an appropriately hammy singer in the vein of Bruce Dickinson or Peter Hammill, Wizard might be an instant classic.

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Kansas City’s Sara Morgan makes convincing ‘80s-era country on Average Jane.  RIYL: Pam Tillis, homespun charm, Kathy Mattea.

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Wayne Escoffery demonstrates that it’s still possible to make a mainstream jazz album filled with exciting surprises on Vortex.  RIYL: Branford Marsalis, persistence, John Coltrane.

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Evidence’s Weather or Not is a standard-issue Rhymesayers release, which is to say it’s first-rate hip-hop.  RIYL: Atmosphere, slow flows, Eyedea & Abilities.  Here’s “Jim Dean”.

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“Space Gun”, the title track of the forthcoming Guided by Voices album, is pretty great.

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Ivan Lins and Gilson Peranzzetta collaborate on the understated Cumplicidade.

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Catching arena-ready pop shows in small clubs is disorienting.  I took in a show by the OneRepublic-like Mako and the Joywave-ish Night Lights at RecordBar last night.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)