DJ SHADOW + CUT CHEMIST + Kid Koala @ Metropolis

By Bram Gusman - 12-Inch Satisfaction - 01/29/2008

Very rarely do you find artists who master their art as well as DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist do. Both hailing from California, these Hip Hop pioneers have been revolutionizing the scene since the early 90’s. It seems that these deejays are always on their game and the “Hard Sell Tour” show at the Metropolis on January 29^th was no exception.

The night began with Montreal’s own Kid Koala, a man who has truly transformed the turntable from a listening device to an instrument. He knew his records so well that by picking particular notes in a song, he was able to create a completely different piece. He went from scratching and beat-juggling to actually playing his own guitar and trumpet solos! And what made this even more impressive was that he never used any headphones -- the sign of a true master.

The headliners of the event had a hard act to follow, but judging from what I had seen from these guys in the past, I was sure we were all in for a treat. Right off the bat, DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist set the crowd up for a great show by explaining the premise of their tour. By connecting eight turntables to effect and loop pedals, the deejays put on a show Montreal will not soon forget. To make things even more interesting, however, they decided to only use original 45’s (the smaller 7” records that have become rarities in our modern world). By adding an incredible visual aspect to the performance, DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist rocked the house until the early morning hours. Going through a wide array of music ranging from classic hip hop, funk, break beat, classic rock and even touches of metal, the masters of Hip Hop left every person in that concert hall dancing, cheering and getting down to their vibes. They constantly kept the crowd guessing what was coming next, never letting the audience’s enthusiasm die down. I can easily say that this show will undoubtedly be one of the best performances of 2008.

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