LIVE REVIEWS
Sunday night (July 8), Brooklyn’s Pro Era kept Capital STEEZ’s memory alive with the fourth annual STEEZ Day Festival. At New York City’s Central Park, along with Pro Era, rappers like MadeInTYO, Dirty Sanchez, Aaron Rose, Dessy Hinds, among others paid homage to the founding member of Pro Era, who died by suicide in 2012.
The sun beamed down on Central Park as the DJ entertained the crowd by spinning classics records like A Tribe Called Quest's “Scenario” and Eric B. and Rakim's “Paid in Full.” But the millennial concertgoers weren’t activated until the DJ spinned Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares.”
The hip-hop spectacle, which offered hope to deal with mental illness, commenced with a charged-up performance by Dessy Hinds, who ran through his street single “Savior.” Pro Era’s CJ Fly, who announced that he's working on an album with Statik Selektah, warmed the crowd with a Pro Era throwback performance of “Hardknock,” a song from Joey Bada$$’ 1999 album, which recently turned six years old.
As the Mary Jane settled into the systems of fans, Nyck Caution, decked in a white t-shirt and black joggers, stormed the stage to thundering applause. The Disguise the Limit rapper spit verses from “Off the Wall,” and “All Night.”
The nimble ryhmeslinger bounced around stage like a lively point guard, even diving into the mosh pit to perform for the rowdy concertgoers and losing a shoe in the process. Caution’s set was highlighted by his performance of “Out of Reach,” a song he wrote after receiving the unfortunate news about STEEZ's death. Central Park grew quiet as Caution rapped:
"But I promise that a suicide don't ever make it simplify/And I remember like it's yesterday/Its the coldest winter evening when that text message escalate/Like we don't even know his whereabouts/And yo that twitter got some crazy shit, it's something that we scared about/I tried to call buthe was distant/And I ain't even seen him since the Stussy shirt drop/But PEEP started poppin' and the Era lookin' brighter than it ever did/But somethings changing, everything was so unsettling/Coming up within the month you started proving everybody your intelligence."
After a moment of silence, Caution's partner-in- rhyme Kirk Knight eagerly sprung onstage. Wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, Knight jumped into "Wake Up," a song from Nyck @ Knight, a joint album with Caution. Knight took part in the mosh pit spectacle, too, by crowd surfing in the middle of his set.
The clock inched toward 8 pm, the sun dropped below the horizon, and concertgoers' mental went from buzzed to high, and Mick Jenkins, Jay Critch, and The Underachievers, who shouted out XXXTentcion, performed solid sets.
A hometown crowd saved plenty of praise for NYC's own Flatbush Zombies crew and Joey Bada$$, whose assaults on stage provided the evening's climax.
Group member Erick The Architect being confined to a wheelchair didn't stop the Flatbush Zombies' energy, as the trio had the crowd throwing elbows and bouncing around to songs like "Headstone," "Victory," and "Vacation" from their latest offering Vacation in Hell.
Joey Bad$$ closed out the night. With a American flag, made of red and blue bandanas, hanging behind him, Joey offered the hope for the future with for those battling mental health with his performance of gripping songs "Devastated," "Land of the Free," and "For my People," songs from All-AmeriKKKan Bada$$.
Overall, STEEZ Day served as a reminder that mental health should be at the forefront of our daily lives. With STEEZ' death, JAY Z's and Royce da 5'9"'s counseling confessions, and Logic's engrossing songs "1-800-237-8255" and "Anziety," it looks hip-hop is beginning to wrap its mind around the seriousness of the mental.
60s & 70s sound revived before our eyes in Sheffield on Friday as Creeping Jean took the Hallamshire Hotel by storm in a show packed with slick style and swagger.
The band grace the stage looking like they’ve stepped out of a time machine from the early 70’s and as they start to play the sound seems like a mix between The Kinks and The Romantics.
As I look around the crowd is slightly older and I imagine for many this feels like a revival of their youth. Nowadays so many songs are regurgitated and lack imagination but Creeping Jean possess this distinctive style with the way they dress and sheer uniqueness in the way their music sounds that is simply unforgettable.
Moving through an array of tracks, including ‘Spice Rack’, ‘Sassy’ and ‘Business is Dead’ - the band’s energy increases with precision and passion in each riff, beat of the drum and rattle of the tambourine. The more the band give, the wilder the crowd become.
The venue may be small but the spirit and vitality we see on stage fills every corner of these four walls.
It is clear from watching the band play together they have a brilliant connection with animated faces throughout each track and also suggests why the art they create is so special.
They are one of those bands that you just want to see time and time again, and you’d never tire of due to the dynamism they hold, especially through the way each member carries themselves and what they bring to the group.
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