*Photos by Rabid Child Images
I got it all wrong about Go! Machine.
You see, I wanted Go! Machine to be something it wasn’t, or at least something it has yet to become. I walked into the two nights of DJs, MCs, b-boys and b-girls at the Crocodile expecting to witness a changing of the musical guard. I thought I was going experience one of those palpable “I was there” moments that instantly defined the rapidly evolving local hip hop scene. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.
Instead, what Go! Machine gave me was two nights of raucous hip hop performed by some of the most talented musicians this city has to offer. While the mini-festival didn’t meet my lofty expectation, each night featured its fair share of memorable moments. Songs were performed live for the first time (Grynch’s “You’re On”), lots of great collaborations happened (Thee Satisfaction’s “Magnetic Blackness” featuring Champagne Champagne was a stand out) and at least one person featured on the bill was booed off the stage (That would be Spencer Moody of the Murder City Devils, but to be fair he did tell told the crowd to “fuck off.”). The Out For Stardom gang and the crew at the Crocodile definitely delivered the goods musically during what turned out to be two of the most exciting nights in the history of Seattle’s burgeoning hip hop scene.
Here are some quick thoughts on the two night hip-hop explosion that was Go! Machine:
• The first night had the more well-balanced lineup while the second night was more toploaded with bigger talent. During both shows you could see various members of Go! Machine groups peek though the backstage curtain and smile while watching their peers perform. Seeing that the perfromers were having as much fun as the crowd made for a celebratory atmosphere that seemed to declare hip hop has arrived in Seattle.
• The Physics kicked off Go! Machine the right way with a set that featured a full band. They were one of the many acts that used instrumentation during their performance, which is something that I could see becoming a trademark for local hip hop if the scene ever hits it big.
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The sound system at the Crocodile worked perfectly for hip hop. The bass never hit too hard and for the most part all of the lyrics could be heard from every nook of the Croc. There were a few hiccups, like when the female singer who joined They Live! had microphone issues, but overall the show sounded terrific. Hopefully The Crocodile will host more hip hop shows.
• The one-two combo of Grynch followed by Spaceman made for a pretty genius flow of contrasting styles. Grynch’s cool on-stage demeanor was the perfect set up for Spaceman’s wilding-out rap style. At one point during his set Spaceman jumped from the stage into the upper bar area and rapped a verse while clinging to the railing. He later made another leap from the stage, this time diving into the crowd at the end of his set.
• Thee Satisfaction have the potential to be big. These two ladies were the first act of the weekend that truly impressed with an amazingly contagious, knock-you-on-your-ass stage presence. Just about every local hip hop artist on the Go! Machine bill is worth paying attention to in 2010 but if I were to pick just one to watch it would be Thee Satisfaction.
• No offense to Champagne Champagne, but Fresh Espresso probably should have headlined Friday’s bill. P Smoov and Rik Rude were their typical styling selves, posturing and posing between rhymes while displaying enough swagger to merit a spot at the top of the bill. The set started with “Diamond Pistols” followed by a new song and from there just about everyGlamour track was performed. When P Smoov demanded the crowd “retard the fuck out” most everyone in the room was either singing along or moving along to the beat. By the time Terry Radjaw placed a tambourine around his neck for “Laser Beams” it almost seemed pointless for Champagne x2 to take the stage because Fresh Espresso had taken over. Unfortunately most of the crowd left before Thomas Gray and Pearl Dragon performed which is too bad because Champagne Champagne, like all the Go! Machine acts before them, killed it.
• Macklemore became my new favorite local rapper after his short but fun set that was highlighted by DJ/producer Ryan Lewis’ skills on the decks. “And We Danced” made Go! Machine one big dance party complete with a group of girls who took the stage to assist Macklemore’s dancetacular cause. The VS. EP, which was produced by Lewis, masterfully blends indie rock samples with Macklemore’s intelligent raps. Pick up your copy Dec. 15.
• As mentioned earlier this week, They Live! dropped a juicy piece of news at the end of their set by announcing their new album, “They La Soul,” will be released Dec. 24. Looks like Christmas is coming early for those who prefer their local hip hop with a little bit of West Coast flavor.
• Mad Rad’s bratty frat rap was a great cap to Go! Machine. While P Smoov and Terry Radjaw anchor the group it was Buffalo Madonna who stole the show. He seemed to be going a mile a minute, running all over the stage and jumping in crowd while reveling in the spotlight. It was impossible to keep your eyes off his wildcard antics. His energy and intensity made Go! Machine feel more like a punk rock show than a hip-hop extravaganza.
So that’s my Go! Machine experience. It wasn’t the pair of scene-defining shows I anticipated but that really doesn’t matter.Only time will tell if Go! Machine caused a shift in the tectonic plates of Seattle’s sound. What matters though is thatGo! Machine proved Seattle has the potential to be a hip hop town. Between the countless collaborations on stage, smiles from performers sneaking peeks at the crowd and the multiple mosh pits and stage dives, there’s no denying the shows were a massive success all around.
