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.
