» Live Review: Black Moon, featuring Killawatt Crew, Wednesday, May 18, 2011, Bar None, Vancouver, B.C. ABORT Magazine™

Live Review: Black Moon, featuring Killawatt Crew, Wednesday, May 18, 2011, Bar None, Vancouver, B.C.

May 19th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

Live Review – Black Moon, featuring Killawatt Crew
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Bar None, Vancouver, B.C.

Old School VanCity heads are still scratching their temples as to the reason why so many Golden Era artists are being booked in Yaletown (which for those not from Raincity represents the worst manifestation of nouveau riche condoland), when in previous years the same acts would have filled the Commodore Ballroom to capacity.

While Fortune Sound Lounge represents the best of what Vancouver nightlife has to offer the Hip Hop culture, it’s a mystery why the legendary Black Moon weren’t booked there. A pretentiously dark and awkward venue at the best of times, with decent sound combined with downtown attitude, Bar None is not exactly the kind of joint that attracts the devoted Hip Hop head. That being said, a near capacity crowd showed up to give respect to Buckshot and Evil Dee, who came a long way from Bucktown to deliver the goods.

VanCity’s finest, Red 1, accompanied by Killawatt soldiers Heatwave and Joose had the pleasure of rocking a receptive crowd on a trip through memory lane with classic tracks like “Northern Touch” and “Dreaded Fist ” as well as newer joints from Red 1′s very solid Beg For Nothing album. Plenty of new tracks, some never before performed and one featuring a cameo by Method Man, had the audience in a Caribbean-flavored Boom Bap groove, and Red’s onstage showmanship shone through, his stadium status, charisma and awesome mic skills impressing all. Heatwave’s high-octane flow kept the party jumping, while Joose’s everyman storytelling flow clearly caught the ears of the lyrical heads, as well as his laid back stage persona. Combined together, the three are a rap Voltron, the sum becoming greater than the parts, when even individually all are awesome. Once again, the Killawatt soldiers are an act that VanCity can proudly call its own, and one of the best units in the country.

It wasn’t long before Evil D’s tremendous form took the stage, spinning a fine selection of Golden Era classics, from Gang Starr to BDP, and without much further ado, Buckshot was on the mic frantically spitting the opening bars of “Who Got Da Props?”. The BDI Thug is, in fact, so diminutive in stature that on Bar None’s low stage he could barely be seen except at stage front. His energy however, is that of a giant, and his renowned breath control and adrenalized delivery are undiminished, a bright reflection of an era recently passed when MC’s were held to a higher lyrical standard. The requisite hits “Buck Em Down”, “I Got Cha Opin” and “How Many MC’s” elicited wild crowd response, as well as newer tracks from Buckshot’s more recent 9th Wonder produced project “The Formula”. A raspy and blunted voice that has become a staple of Golden Era raps, Buckshot has aged well into a graceful and charismatic performer.

All things aside this was a great show, but it begs the question as to what is going on in the musical landscape of Vancouver. Is Hip Hop just another semi-exotic import in this town, brought in for the delectation of the young, rich and shallow? Or is it still a thriving culture whose representatives continue to live a life guided by the core elements. As for Hip Hop, it don’t stop, and the only people who say it’s dead are the people trying to kill it.

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By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

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