The Family Vacation Tour

featuring Atmosphere and Blueprint.
Bogart's
Cincinnati, Ohio
August 16th 2011



The first thing I'll say about The Family Vacation Tour is that, unlike most rap shows, they were somewhat obnoxiously punctual. I showed up about halfway through Blueprint's set (I discovered when the set was suddenly over), thinking that I would have missed one, maybe two songs. So, a note to anyone else hitting a date on this tour, or any other Rhymesayers show, get there on time or earlier!



Now that I've gone off on a tiny tangent, let's get to what I actually got to see! First off, the venue, Bogart's in sensational Cincinnati, Ohio, without going into too much detail I can say that it was a great place for a hip hop show, with lots of space for bodies, a weird but interesting set up for restrooms, tiered flooring, good bars, and a good old fashioned flashy marquis out front. The stage itself is a good size, and I entered to see Blueprint owning every square inch of it, with a KEYTAR, no less! This was my first time seeing either 'Print or Atmosphere and I am thrilled to report neither disappointed, in the least. In fact, having only caught half of Blueprint's set has just made me even more determined to see him play a headlining show. There are a great many hip hop artists who sound great on record, but flounder on stage and Blueprint is definitely not one of those. He sounds just as good, if not better, live, and that's always a bonus in my book.



The period between that set and Atmosphere's was somewhat disappointing, featuring performances by people I knew before from Dilated Peoples, who I love, so I have no idea what happened there. The beats were delightful, but the rapper himself, not so very impressive. Literally only played one song that was truly entertaining.

Fortunately, after that, the stage transformed, with a new backdrop, fake trees, et cetera, and Atmosphere hit the stage. As a long time enthusiast, this was a fairly exciting moment, given that I'd never seen them before. Not to put too fine a point on it, but Slug and Ant playing mere feet away from me stands as one of my top five favorite shows, period. They played a great mix from the newest stuff, all the way back to the mid-nineties or so, with that trademark wit, improvisation, and swagger that they're so well known for. Slug hammed it up to great effect, wooing the entire house with nary a hint of effort, remixing songs on the spot to make Cincinnati really feel like it was their show. I’m not even from there and I couldn’t help but to get excited like I was in my own city.



The Family Vacation Tour is well worth your thirty bucks, no matter where you’re seeing it, or even if you can only make it for the last couple hours (Atmosphere’s set was about ninety minutes all by itself), I could not possibly recommend another tour this summer more.

- daveSMASH / movementNORTH


The Family Vacation Tour in Jacksonville Beach, FL
Tuesday, September 20th
Freebird Live
200 N. 1st St.
Jacksonville Beach, FL
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=186317574763627

Every Time I Die in Ottawa, Canada.

Do you know what Every Time I Die does best live? They completely wreck every single body within earshot. And each and every one of those bodies thank them for it. Not too long ago I saw them for the billionth time, this time in Ottawa, and had exactly that experience.

Two members of the band were held up at Canadian customs on the way to the show, so the opening acts were long since done and there was no real sign of the crowd dispersing. For almost Two Hours. That is the amount of time between the last band ending and Every Time I Die hitting the stage, due to those aforementioned delays. Now, most other bands, with so great a delay, would have shown up to an empty venue, but Buffalo, New York’s finest, with the barest of hints that the show would, indeed, go on, played to a full god damned house.

Now, it had been a fair few, maybe two and half, years since last I saw the Buckley boys and Co. tear up a stage and, delays or no, this show did nothing but remind me why Every Time I Die still stands as one of my all time favorite bands, live or otherwise. From start to finish they maintained their signature boisterousness, drawing forth smiles usually reserved for those who have reached a state of zen enlightenment from nearly every face my eye took in. Bodies smashed into bodies, throats were made bloody and raw, and a brilliant time was had by all. And I do mean all. It honestly seemed like more people showed up for their very nearly cancelled show than had been there in the hours preceding. I cannot remember the last time I was so thick in the mix of exalted exhalations and vivacious vibrations as I was that night and I would not trade it for anything.

If ever you find yourself with a chance to watch Every Time I Die destroy a venue, do yourself a favor and dive in face first.

daveSMASH / MOVEMENTnorth