[Rochester's BBOY BBQ '08]

don't sleep on this annual event.

[Roots Picnic- Pt. II]

As soon as I saw the Roots Picnic advertised on Okayplayer I started making plans to head down to philly for the show. At the same time I was happily daydreaming of what this Roots Picnic would look, feel, sound, and taste like. The music events I experienced while living in philly were comfortable, intimate, and personal- like hanging out at your favorite cousin's house on a lazy afternoon. I had no doubt the Roots would put together an eclectic and seriously fun picnic.

First things first I just have to say- the day of the picnic, June 7, was a freakishly hot day with temps close to 100. The heatwave did not put on a damper on the fun but it did put a glossy layer of sweat on everything. But really everything is better in the summer. The sudden heat did make it necessary to dress like you were exploring the Amazon or deserted on a tropical island near tahiti. The coolest people were decked out in sarongs, bathing suits, big ol sun hats, sandals or even bare feet. Shirts were off, shades were a necessity, and water was the #1 accessory. The most popular tee of the day was anything Obama related. In between music acts we all flocked to the pavillion/dj tent (which was air conditioned) as it became the unofficial cool down lounge.

The picnic offered a musical sample of some highly creative groups. DeerHoof, who I was wholly unfamiliar with, shook things up quite a bit with their indie rock/pop/hybrid sound. They definitely offered a unique (and very loud) sound that stood apart from every other act. They reminded me of some bands I used to listen to in the 90s when i was loving bratmobile, shonen knife, and pizzicato five.As Mdot mentioned, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings expertly showed off their classic, soulful sound. Sharon Jones works her powerful voice with so much finesse you would swear you had been transported back to the heyday of classic soul. Sharon Jones= timeless sound. The band kept it real classy with a serious serving of funk and soul. They were the only musical group that inspired picnic- goers to couple up and start dancing. Plus one of the band members (guitarist) was sportin a very svelte three piece suit. I can't imagine how he survived the vicious heat in that getup but he sure looked the part.

After the sun had set and The Roots had performed their final exuberant set, I heard some heavy, heavy bass coming from the dj tent. I had a hunch it was diplo so we rushed into the tent to catch some bmore club classics mixed in with dance tracks so raw you couldn't help but shake n pop. Diplo played an energetic and crowd-moving set that featured Rye Rye and Naeem (from Spankrock) on vocals. There was also a very talented male RnB singer who was on the mic quite a bit. We had no clue who this singer was but he did have a philly beard so we assumed he was a local artist. Folks were wu-tanging and two stepping as a life sized elmo circulated through the crowd pausing for pictures and high fiving picnic-goers. Diplo tore through songs with a ferocious energy that made his music impossible to ignore and he successfully turned the pavillion into a sweaty baltimore house party.All the rumors are true- the Roots always deliver a phenomonal live set and their picnic delivered a truly talented ensemble of musicians. My day dreams about the picnic may have been slightly different but the outpouring of energy and love from all of the acts involved surpassed my expectations. -CleverGypsy

[Roots Picnic '08]

Ok, so The Roots have always been one of my favorite hip hop groups and bands period. When we (CleverG and I) heard two months ago that they were organizing and hosting the first ever Roots Picnic in Phila, PA we were all over it. Believe me it wasn't a disappointment. There was a plethora of artists from all ends of the musical spectrum including J Davey, Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings, The Cool Kids, Gnarls Barkley, Diplo, and of course The Roots. It was an all day affair and started around 2pm. We didn't get there until around 4pm. We missed J Davey, but got there right in time to hear the last few numbers of The Cool Kids set. I must say their show game was pretty on point, even if their music was louder than they were. Of all the acts and distractions throughout the day I must say that Sharon Jones and her band were the standout act of the day. Absolutely amazing. If I had to make a comparison I would say she is the female version of James Brown.About 40 min. later they were followed by The Roots. It was their event so it was no surprise that they stole the show. They started with some classics like "Mellow My Man" and "You Got Me" and kept progressing. Leonard "Hub" Hubbard (who recently exited the group) made an appearance for some joints before Dice Raw came on stage to rip his verse on "Get Busy". The Roots' chemistry on stage is insane. Standing in a crowd of thousands, even though I was pretty close to the stage, I could see how much the band was enjoying themselves with one another. Black would look over at Kamal while he was ad libbing for songs and give him a little smile. Quest was in the background doing his thing- as always keeping the pace for the rest. The new additions to the band (bass, guitar, percussion, sausophone) fit right into place like they were always there. The camaraderie that exists in their band is evident and clear every time you see them perform live. The Roots haven't missed a step even with the lack of staple members. Their movement is one that many have followed and many more continue to jump on the bandwagon. They hosted their own festival, I wonder whats next, a label maybe?? If this is to be an annual event they definitely set it off right. The location was decent, right on the water which may have helped with the heat, because it was hot as hell. The alcohol and food were expensive. But at the end of the day hands down the best time I've had at a larger festival style show in quite some time. Do you want more? You know we do.
-MdotCoop

[Somewhere between Jersey and Delaware]

The weekend of the Roots picnic we partied in philly. We had no real plans- except for the picnic- so we let the days unfold as they would. As soon as we arrived in my home away from home we headed straight to the Belmont Plateau aka the plat. This hill in Fairmount Park was made famous in Will Smith's classic song "Summertime". During college we used to head up to the plat, throw a blanket down and indulge in some beverages. Good place to escape the traffic and stress, cool out with friends, or just meditate on the skyline. The plat offers a picturesque view of the city and I like to refer to it as makeout point.

Friday night we headed to the Barbary - a self proclaimed DIY bar just north of Spring Garden street on Frankford Ave. That night Colt 45 and Vice Magazine were throwing a free shindig aka Tales of Colt 45 tour. Featured performers included Drop the Lime, Gang, the Major Leagues and the 4AM djs.

Neither of us had been to the Barbary before so we were pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be a laid back, artsy space akin to rochester's bug jar. We missed the free colt 45 giveaways but there were plenty of drink specials to make up for that. On arrival the electro/punk outfit Gang was finishing up their set and getting a lot of love from the crowd. Next was Drop the Lime AKA Curses- the "bass heavyweight champ" of ny. With ease he got the crowd bumpin and jumpin- movin and groovin. Everybody moved to the dancefloor and proceeded to get down.

We didn't stay long but I think I heard some MSTRKRFT, Boy 8-bit, and Foamo. We had just a couple of drinks since it was a hot and steamy night and we longed to be outside. So we headed to Old City to wander the cobblestone streets. It was still 90+ degrees when we finally found a parking spot off Market St. (around 1am). The streets were packed with people cruising, riding their bikes and their 4 wheelers (gotta love PA where you can ride anything without a helmet). Old City offered prime people watching and it certainly felt like a summer evening in late July or August. We ended our night with some drinks at the Continental- the martini spot. It's a pricey spot but you will not leave sober. -CleverGypsy

[Soul Slinger Showdown@ High Fidelity: July 19]

Hip hop for your soul. Featuring: Tim Tones, MdotCoop, Ric Rude, E.B.B. and F.L.O.W., and Reece Quotable. Save the date.

[Queen's going back to New Jeru]

Queen is moving back to the dirty jerz. now you know we can't let her leave without a proper roc city farewell. This Saturday come party like it's 1995. if ya feelin it- bust out your big jerseys, cross colours, BK knights and hammer pants. Gonna be phat! -Clevergypsy



Yeah. so you know we got to send her off in style. Fresh for da 90s suckas!!! -MdotCoop

[First things first...]