I have a serious case of band envy when it comes to Tortoise. If I believed in heaven and hell I'd probably sell my soul to the Devil to be in that band. Seeing them last night reconfirmed for me that they are my favorite band working today. Especially live. And my response to their new album might have not have been so lukewarm if its songs were performed with as much combustible energy as they were last night. But I guess that's why we go see bands live. I can only come off sounding maudlin and juvenile when I try to describe what it was like to watch them play, so I�ll stop right here.

Before Tortoise played, Beans did a set. It was just him, a mic, and a sampler that played his backing tracks. He was amazing. It's one thing to hear people rhyme on a record, but seeing them do it live, without stumbling or forgetting lines or losing the beat, and seeing them do it well, really blows my mind. It left me determined to see more hip-hop shows. He also did a few a capella rhymes. During one such rhyme some dipshit in the crowd yelled, "Play some more beats!" (This may have been the same idiot who yelled "Tortoise!" when Beans came onstage, or maybe there was somehow more than one asshole at the Metro last night.) After Beans finished his rhyme, he grabbed his Corona, came to the front of the stage, and summoned Mister Play Some More Beats to the mic, inviting him to bust a rhyme. The guy just mumbled something and said he had no rhymes. The crowd booed. Satisfied, Beans launched into the next song and someone behind me yelled, "Kick his ass with a rhyme!" which made me chuckle.

All in all, a good night.

And now I'm about to get on a plane to Seattle for a wedding extravaganza. It will be nice to leave cold, rainy Chicago and enjoy Seattle's famous clear skies and sunshine.

0 Comments

Back & Forth