My Two Favorite Live Acts:
Saul Williams | Saul Williams, who I always knew as a spoken word Poet for the hip hop generation, appeared in a dive bar in Austin, Texas with his punk band. BEST SHOW I HAVE EVER SEEN !!!
In my mind Saul (and friends) make true punk music. Punk music...not the Vivienne Westwood tailored tartan wearing mohawkins screaming about Anarchy through safety pinned lips (which is all good and fine) but rule breaking music. Music that is defiant, rebellious, aggressive, smart, of its own and home grown. This music was all of those things.
Saul is a wordsmith. He comes with a message. In this show he brought what I knew he could already do. . . spit mad lyrics, but I wasn’t expecting him to come out as a native war chief rocker dressed in battle garb ready to take on the stage like an enemy attacking. He had with him two other rock eccentrics. One who played the MPC and the other played the guitar. Visually they were impressive. Sonically I had never really heard anything like it before. . . or since. I won't try to describe it more than I already have. . . because I won't do it justice.
What I can say though is that it caused me to get that mean look on my face and bang my head. Good shit. Good Hard music blended with Saul's mind bending lyrics and physical presence makes for my kind of show !!! Well, one kind of my kind of show anyway. He (they) is (are) a must see. . .
Saul Williams on Myspace
The Ditty Bops | I am in Love with these girls. I know Amanda and Abbey (The Ditty Bops) personally and I can say that knowing them in their life beyond the stage only spreads further my vision of them as true artists.
Their whole life is a work of art. Every element if you ask me. So when you see them on the stage, you see in full bloom the life they are leading. It's a delightful world that they occupy and create day after day. Full of imagination and laughter. Their music is sweet and simple but not uncomplicated or innocent. They can be dark and meddlesome as well.
Going to one of their shows is like taking a row boat through a miniature haunted fun house on a rainbowy day. They refuse to grow up. Thank goodness. Oh, and did I mention that they are fit? Very good looking girls those Ditty Bops!!
Abbey plays the guitar and piano and Amanda plays the mandolin, guitar and other gadgets including helium balloons. Their shows are theatrical and amusing. Amanda is always smiling and Abbey inevitably has something witty to say. The world is a better place with the Ditty Bops in it. Go see em...go get young again !!!
The Ditty Bops on Myspace
