Summer Tour Pt. 4: Coast To Coast

Now that I've settled back into my cozy house in Daygo, I'm finally getting around to my photos. Please bare with me with the amount of pics, and lack of tunes.

Truckee


Truckee is a community that lies along Lake Tahoe in Northern California. The mountain men and women made their way out, and were a pretty wild crowd. When I first rolled in, I couldn't believe they were about to squeeze 1500 people in this "Theater", but it filled up and cracked off.

Pepper rocking out.


This is Bubbler. A veteran keyboardist, that plays with Sly & Robbie. Bubbler has played keys on many important Reggae tunes, including the opening keys on Althea & Donna's "Uptown Top Ranking".


Butte, Montana (That's BEWT not Butt)


I woke up, not knowing to expect of Montana. When I exited the bus, we were on this block which looked like a run down ghost block from the 20's. Our show was in an old Railway station, that was transformed into a venue. The inside of the depot was converted into a dancehall/concert hall and we set up outside in the parking lot. Since I am an avid freight graff lurker, I took this time to walk the line and check it out.


Caught a Sever piece, circa 02


No train lurk would be complete without catching a hobo tag by the one and only Solo Artist. "Widely Unknown Indeed".


Some good old Montana rebel graff.


Cherinne Anderson blessing the Butte crowd


Kaleo. Guitarist for Pepper.


Brett. Bassist for Pepper.


C Money and Dela, the horn section for Slightly Stoopid. THis was the first session I saw where Sly and Robbie joined the boys onstage with Half Pint.


My bredren Alkebulan was telling me that this kind of show would make no money in Jamaica because the fans would park outside and stand on top of their cars to watch. I guess the same holds true for Butte.


As we rolled into the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado, we were expecting this to be the peak of our tour. Unfortunately, it was raining and cold when we arrived. SLEET even. I walked the bleachers to get a view of the place, and it's incredible. Mad music legends have graced this natural amphitheater, including U2 when they filmed their live DVD.



Half Pint with Slightly Stoopid doing soundcheck.


Sly Dunbar.


About 10,000 people in attendance. Due Paid.


This is the most folks I ever played in front of, yet my favorite part of the show was the after party. I loaded my rig into the trailer, and made my way to a dressing room 3 flights above the stage built into the rocks. With only about 4 people in the spot, I immediately spotted Half Pint on the mic by himself, singing over Studio One versions. Within minutes the whole place was packed, and ramming as the mic got passed around and everyone was dancing. Peter Gayle, Half Pint, C-Money, OG, and myself traded mic duties, and the place got hot! (Didn't have no time for flix)

Salt Lake City


What a f'n wasteland. Smells like rotten death, overrun by mosquitoes, and hot as shit. (The city is nice though.)

Don't be fooled, this isn't the beach you're used to.


The Great Salt Air


Sly said he likes to sit low on his kit, because it feels like he's driving a race car.


Robbie Shakespeare, Nambo Robinson, and Stepper


The crowd at the Salt Air


New York City


We pulled into Secaucus NJ, and I immediately jumped on transit, and headed into the city. I met up with my boy Jay, and he took me on a Dutch Master clouded tour of the Lower East Side. We ate at Kate's Diner, which is one of the wickedest Vegan diner I ever been to. They must have been fimling some show, cuz the block was filled with 70's cars, including this fuzz cruiser which was even manned by some 70's looking Detectives.


I had the open faced Ruben, equipped with Vegan Corned Beef, Kraut, and Vegan Cheese. This place was off the hook, and they even had an ajoined bar. A Class!


Here's some other flicks I snapped

OG Jammy's Dub Plate. Apparently while digging for records, you can find these around town. WICKED!






This dude Curtis was up pretty thoroughly on our route.


We trooped across the Williamsburg Bridge to Brooklyn for tourist sakes.








We made it to a bar that served 32 oz. beers in styrofoam cups, and strolled around and smoked blunts.

We ended up at a bar and checked for DJ Queen Majesty, and ran into my boy Jon Cardiel. Small world.


After hitting Max Fisch's, I hit car service (way better than a cab) and stumbled into the bus about 5am, which was parked outside of Roseland Ballroom. The show was the next night and was pretty slamming! WE trooped around the tunnels below the historic venue, and blew some more Dutch's.





After the show, I made a solo mission down to Times Square, and soaked it in for a minute. The place is sensory overload, with more blazing advertisements than I've ever seen in 5 blocks.





Thats enough for now. I will finish my tour log with my next entry.

Big Up Jay for taking time our of your hustle to show me the city.

DISTRESS: New World Order Day

No parties, or gifts, or cheap decor today. Just the memories of misery, pain, and fear. It's been years since Terrorists attacked New York City, and justice has not been served.

It's frowned upon that I would call them Terrorists, since they state they stand for Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. We as Americans, are not allowed to question the motivation behind our glorious Empire, or else we support the enemy.

It is ironic that we are quick to go to war against "Terrorists", and "Insurgents" yet that's the exact role we are playing in the world.

So for New World Order Day, our festive rituals will not include searching for eggs, carving a turkey, or unwrapping gifts. Today we will take part in lying, cheating, and unprevoked violence in the name of the Empire.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH ZEITGEIST THE MOVIE

Trust me you fuckers, we will NEVER forget. Call it a grudge...
Immortal Technique Ft. Mos Def-Bin Laden

Rage Against The Bloodklaat Machine!!!

Rage Against The Machine Acapella at the Republican National Convention

Bone Chilling. Have we forgotten Rage?

Summer Tour pt3: Rock N Roll Fantasy-West Coast

I hope that my folks are still with me here. I been meaning to leave some things for you, but my life has been spiraling into a mad state of sketchy showers, sleeping on a bus, and rocking crowds in numbering in the thousands five nights a week for the past three weeks. I wake up in another city everyday, and just when I adjust to the place, I'm out. It's not a bad thing though, this touring business is incredible, but crazy.

Lets Start from the beginning...

I got off the plane from my island tour ate some food, slept for an hour, then ran to Mr. Henshaw's house to get things together for a rap show we had that night. The show was nice, and we played with a Rock Band called Rambo Knife. Somehow I made it through the night, slept in my own bed, and got prepared to hit the road.

Our first "Official" tour gig was at the HArd Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, inside a venure called "The Joint" (Our real first gig was in Ocean Beach, and all I can say is OB knows how to party)...
The line up is Slightly Stoopid, Pepper, and for the first few shows The Expendables. And myself...

The Joint was just a warm-up. I woke up back in Cali, for the first of our real gigs, at the Costa Mesa Amphitheater. This was a sold out show, with 8500 in attendance. This is why I say Vegas was a warmup.

Santa Barbara was where Sly & Robbie and Taxi Gang showed up. It was funny cuz the whole crew is yardie, and they were running late so they were hastily setting up everything up. I don't know if they realized I was DJing, until I got on the mic. When I was was done they were all staring at me kind of confused. When I finally caught up with them between sets, they were mad cool, and showed me mad respect. The best is Sly Dunbar hailing me up "Yes General. Big Up DJ". The real treat is that they brought Miss Cherine Anderson on the road with them. She co-starred in the Jamaican Motion Picture "One Love", and has been creating a hell of a buzz in the Jamaican Dancehall Scene. She has got one of the best voices I've heard as of lately, and she gives me chills when she starts off her set with "Redemption Song".

Cherine Anderson-Movie Star

There was this fat loudmouth DJ from a radio station who thought he was real hot shit, and he was bandstanding every chance he got. I mean, big up yourself for being the top rock DJ in SANTA BARBARA, but ease the fuck up...Anyhow, I wont go in depth, but the dude was full of himself (And probably Biscuits and Gravy)

Santa Barbara Bowl was pretty nice though

We had our first day off in Boise Idaho, and I made a little stroll around the immediate area to check the sites. They are refurbishing their state capitol, so the thing looks like a grey version of everyone else's capitol building. (Pretty exciting as I would say).

My first cool experience in Boise was breakfast at Goldy's. Their claim to fame is being featured on the Food Network's Diners, Dives, and something or other. And their Hollandaise sauce. It was definitely the cool place for the Boise's hip people to eat off their hangovers by the looks of the patrons. I wasn't super hungry, but I got this Smoked Salmon Hash plate which was one the best things I ever had.

I found my way to Boise's only Record store, which was heavy on the indie rock, which meant that their Jazz section was priced to move. I found one of my favorite records there, which I had previously paid 20 cuts for, and I copped it for 2 Dollars.


I caught a couple random Graff flicks, but there really wasn't much more than rebel tags, and a couple throw ups.


Scar seemed to be the guy most up on the streets of Dtown Boise.

The Boise Show was pretty cracking, and the people seemed to really go crazy out there. While I was playing my set after Sly & robbie, I have been getting in the mode of playing the "Midnight Hour" Riddim, starting with the Silvertones original, then into Tarrus Riley's Protect Your Neck. The front of house guy on the boards for Sly & Robbie comes out next to me while I'm DJing, and I turned and looked at him, and told him the Tarrus Riley was my favorite tune. He looks at me and goes "I produced that one." I cocked my head slightly in suprise and said "Yeah man, I do Fat Eyes". It turns out that their soundman is none other Bulby, the man behind MANY a reggae hit. His latest riddim being the new General Penitentiary riddim. I was mad hyped at that moment, and been picking his brain ever since.

This is Bulby and Cherine after the Boise set.
Boise also introduced Half Pint to the tour, who makes his way out into Slightly Stoopid's set for 3 or 4 songs. Half Pint is one of my all time favorite Reggae Singers, and is really a treat for to be on the road with him. For those who have sleeping under a rock for the last 20 years, check this.

Half Pint-Political Fiction


A Little Boise After Party session.


Next We played Marymoor amphitheater, right outside Seattle, Washington. The venue was beautiful, and the backstage dressing rooms were in this old historic mansion/museum. I thought it was pretty cool to be scrubbing my ass in a museum.

My boy Skip, from Heavy Manners and one of my favorite blogs Super Duty Tough Work made it out for the after session, and we got into a cool conversation with Half Pint about Jammy's and such. Pretty wicked show!!!

Peter Mann and Half Pint

The next show was in Eugene Oregon, and this crowd was unreal. Lots of lurkers across the stream behind the stage, getting wasted and dancing in the woods. Lots of good herbs, and good vibes.

Interesting idea for a business going on here.

I was picking wild Blackberries all hippy like and shit. They told me to only pick them above waist level cuz mad rock stars piss in them I guess.

Eugene A Dweet!


We returned one last time to Cali, to rock the Legendary Greek Theater in Berkeley. I was lucky to have my boo come meet me out there, and we got to run around Berkeley for a minute. I was also luck to have my boy Sonny Phono meet up, and I was back with family for the night. The herb smelled so sweet from the crowd out there, and they packed in early.



This is pretty good for now. We crushed the West Coast, with sold out shows in almost every city. I'm now on the East Coast, and I got mad more photos and tales to follow. Give Thanks for being patient with me, and still popping through.

I have been dealing with real slow Net connections, so when I can, I will update some more. We have 5 more shows through the south east all the way to Florida, then we start the slow trek back West. To all my folks that have come through to check me, big up! Its good to see familiar faces when I'm out here.

Soon Come...
Jump it!