TV on the Radio @ First Avenue

TV on the Radio came for a two night stay in Minneapolis, 3/14 and 3/15. I, unknowingly got the second night, albeit an "All Ages" event. Don't know if the second night really is worse or the "All Ages" label detracts but who knows? TVOTR is an indie rock band from NYC that's been riding the success of last summer's release of Return to Cookie Mountain.

I know this site is one tracked on rap/r&b/hip hop thus you would be led to believe I only consume rap? Totally wrong. Rock is my first love. I'd like to begin to deliver more of a variety of music on KissMyAss...

I've gone to plenty of rap concerts and I am accustomed to arrive @ 11:30 for the main act as the rap venues in MPLS/St. Paul are horrible. The opening acts around the TC (Twin Cities) suck ass and then the rappers play for 35 mintues or so. Pretty typical. First Avenue in MPLS is great, small, throw-back venue. Hip Hop acts such as Lupe Fiasco, Roots, Ice Cube and Clipse have played there recently.

I came in during TVOTR's first song and was surprised to see it packed. Thinking later 'Oh yeah, these fans pay for their artists'. At 5'7" with shoes on surrounded by mostly average white males, who are at least 5'10" plus, I could barely see the stage. That's my fault for arriving late. I'm not the cat to try to weave my way up to the front so I stood in the back, moving my head to peek every so often at the stage. In front of me was this dude, who was probably 5'10" and 275--so he was there--who took up so damn much space it was even harder to see. Later in the show, he left for a minute and the temperature around me cooled off considerably. And add to that to the fact that I can be pushed around a lot be passers by. Concerts are frustrating even more so when you're there by yourself; you don't have a crew to stand firm. I go to all concerts other than a Hip Hop show, alone. None of my friends, for the most part, are adventurous in their music tastes. I'm not deterred yet I will say flying solo takes the fun out of going to a concert, you'd like to share it with others. I missed Subtle , the opening hip hop act from Oakland, Califronia so I am relegated to listen to them through MySpace. I am not all too familiar with TOVTR; I picked up thier Cookie Mountain a few months back. While it is a rare good album, you can let it play in full and be satisfied, it only has a few songs that can be played 10 times over. With that said, their sound is impecable, it is the reason I listen. Without knowing most of their set, I at least could be like "Oh, yeah this song, I remember hearing it" (but I was unable to sing along with utter confidence), their music pentrated my eardrums and consqeuntly shook the floor. From there it rose to me. I felt it.

Tunde Adebimpe, the lead singer, was amped; he pranced around the stage and motioned towards the crowd. The more iconic Kyp Malone, the guitarist, with his fro, glasses and beard (we bare a striking resemblence minus the black and fro) sang softly as the background vocalist. TVOTR's drums are what makes them, Jaleel Bunton drove 'em home. And David Andrew Sitek, another guitarist, and the solo white main member on the floor was keen on the strings.

They played for a little more than an hour and had an encore of 3 songs. They didn't knock it out of the park as I thought they would; the band except for Adebimpe, was mellow. I like people who talk to the crowd, regardless of what they say. Unfortunately TVOTR kept it business by rolling through he show. I'd wished it was a later show; getting out of a show by 10 is an odd feeling. But they had a nice vibe going and I'd definately see them again. TVOTR live is worth it as they add to an already groovy sound. And I got to see my two songs "I Was a Lover" and "Wolf Like Me" which was more than enough. "I Was a Lover" live was unforgettable...