My review of the Dead Prez show.

By Travis Dodge. 

            I really can’t review this show without talking about the circumstance of it. Myself and a good friend found out there was going to be a free Dead Prez show happening in Lansing that night. Needless to say we were juiced and totally excited. This was at Basement 414, and to be honest, we didn’t get a chance to see the first two bands. From what people were saying they were kinda political garage rock. Which can be cool, although not what I was expecting from the show. Once again, whatever. So we walk down to basement 414, a local basement in lansing below some super trendy dance clubs. This venue was super hipster and swanky and trendy seeming. Which I guess is ok if that’s what your looking for. So we get to the door, me and three other people. So we get to the door and tell the women running we are there for the show, to which she responds “got tickets?” and we are forced to say “no”. She then commences to tell us we cannot get in without a ticket or a generous donation. Basically we were being shaken down for money at the door, to donate to this venue. This was kinda a shitty feeling and not really in going along with the politics and beliefs  that the show had, and that dead prez went along with. But we got in. That’s the most important thing. So the crowd was kinda lame. Mostly a bunch of too cool for school hipster kids who didn’t seem to really be interested in the music. I guess it’s not really my place to judge how people enjoy music. Also there was a huge excess of smoking, which kinda put a damper on the show since Dead Prez is all about living healthy. But whatever, it is what it is.

            But when Dead Prez took the stage the whole night was transformed. Things got amazing, and all my dreams of sweet local shows came true. Basement 414 is a small place, so it made a really nice small intimate setting to see them in. This was maybe the only positive about the venue. There was a small stage, there was crowd interaction, they stuck around and talked to lots of people afterward, it was really quite amazing. The opened up with “Radio Frequency”, and the house was right away set off, hot as hell. They charged through their set playing stuff like “Hip Hop”, “Mind Sex”, “Hell Yea (Pimp the System)”, “W-4″, “They Schools”, “Discipline”, and a huge string of new material. They spoke about community, and about supporting each other and how important it was to be healthy and to take care of each other and support each other. Such an inspiring set. I’m still reeling and walking on air.