Grayskul w/ Anglo-Saxon, Brad B and more…
The Larimer Lounge, Denver
August 20, 2005
By D Tha Man
Photography by Michael L. Albert
MLA PHOTONIX PHOTOGRAPHY
Grayskul, the newest members of
the Rhymesayers family, traveled in a van all the
way from the Scribble Jam to party with the people
of Lo-Do, stopping in at the Larimer Lounge last
weekend as the final show on their recent tour.
And, though the crowd wasn’t thick (the show
didn’t get much promotion) the people who
showed up for this all age’s event were ready
to party and they weren’t disappointed.
As the three Washington residents
are known to say, they’d “rather play
for a few people who are feeling it and getting
into the groove, than in front of a whole bunch
of people who are standing still and looking at
you stupid.”
After running through a few of the
hype cuts from the album (Deadlivers), including
the symphonically eerie “Behold,” the
cartoony, sound effects heavy “Once Upon a
Time,” and the title track, MC’s Recluse
(AKA JFK) and Reason (AKA Onry Ozzborn), and the
angry bass player known as Phantom Ghost topped
the evening off with the single “Prom Quiz.”
This is the track that invites the audience to clap
their hands to the groove, and slinks along with
a head nodding percussion coupled with a quarky,
yet phat synth break. (The video for this song can
now be seen at www.myspace.com/grayskul)
Unfortunately, the bar had a curfew,
so the show was put into fast forward; robbing them,
and their predecessors, of the opportunity to really
get down to brass tacks. Each group cut their sets
short and the show was done before the time that
Grayskul was originally scheduled to take the stage
(bad form on the part of the Lounge.)
However, the tour participants trooped
it out; everybody stuck around afterwards, taking
pictures, grabbing drinks, and just parlaying with
their fans. So no love was lost.
Having cut their teeth on the last
Atmosphere tour, sold out shows for 48 of the 50
dates, the three “superheroes” have
become comfortable on the stage, and it shows. Commanding
the microphone and spitting the intricate rhymes
that they have become known for, these members of
Oldominion are on a mission to put the Pacific North
West on the map. Look for them when the “official”
tour comes to town this fall.
This time around they were just helping
out the members of Universatile Music; their homies
from AZ. As Reason said after the show, “6
months to a year from now, these are the guys you’re
going to hear about; Brad B and Anglo-Saxon…”
(And he’s right; albums from both are very
well done, with serious boom bap tracks and the
types of rhymes you get from backyard or street
corner ciphers. Don’t sleep on these kids,
duke.)
In the meantime, if you haven’t
already done so, pick up Grayskul’s album.
It’s a cartoon, comic book reading good time,
with eerie, post-apocalyptic undertones. Production
includes Mr. Hill, Fakts One, and Bean One. Guest
spots are minimal, but include old Bazooka Tooth
(Aesop Rock), Cip One from Can Ox, Canibus and Mr.
Lif. There is also the super posse track, “Secret
Wars,” which highlights “fifteen cats
from Oldominion.”
Get out and support real hip hop,
yo.
www.universatilemusic.com
www.illal.com
D Tha Man, August 26, 2005
