Re: Smokin Grooves Tour

revolut@magicnet.net
Wed, 07 Aug 1996 15:00:39 -0400


Dave & other groovers-
I drove up to Atlanta last week to check out smokin grooves. We got there a little
late and missed a Tribe called Quest (who'd a thought they'd go on first?). We arrived
to see Busta Rhymes bouncing around wearing what appeared to an outfit made entirely of
tin foil. While he's not my most favorite, he certainly had the crowd riled up and
"Who-Ha"ing for a good 15 minutes. Busta's set flowed right into the Fugees, who were
excellent. They mostly stuck with material off The Score: How many Mics, Cowsboys, No
Woman No cry, Fu-gee-la, Ready or Not, etc. They kept the stuff fresh with interesting
leads to some of the songs, like searching for it on the radio. The venue was an
ampitheater and the moon began to rise over the east side for Killing me Softly, setting
a beautiful mood.
Cypress Hill were up next and they were loud and angry and engaging and good. Dancing
pot leaf lights covered the stage and the crowd as they encouraged everyone to light
up. I don't know their music all that well, but most of their songs were familar.
They either wove Insane In The Membrane though out the set or I thought they did because
the people around me continuously chanted it. Two bongo sets and two turntables kept
the beats, with a break for the bongo's after their incrediable solos. They wished
Sen-Dog well on his solo endevours before they left. I heard many people say they
thought C.P. was the best act up that point. That was probably due to the fact that the
huge TV screens above the stage came on for their act and remained on for the rest of
show, allowing those chilling in the grass behind the more expensive seats (70% of the
crowd) to get an up close view. Or the they were all just huge Cypress Hill fans.
An oh so brief break and Ziggy Marley and the Melodey Makes took the stage. Much of the
crowd had already started to dispurse, especially the young kids. But most were stoped
in their tracks as Ziggy started jam. It was easily the best of the show, every single
person was one their feet dancing, singing along or both. They did quasi-short set but
returned after only about 2 minutes for the encore with respect to the Fugees and Bob
Marley and did No woman No Cry.
And thats how I spent my summer vaction. sorry if I rambled but, hey thats what I do. I
never saw or heard about Burning Spear. We either missed him, he never showed, or saw
his whole act and killed the brain cells that held that information, (all second-hand of
course). the Tour is definately recommended.

-k

Dave Peacock wrote:
>
> Has anyone on the list had a chance to check out the Smokin Grooves Tour?
> I'd like to hear how it went. With acts like Fugees, Tribe Called Quest and
> Spearhead on the bill it sounds like a must see. The tour will be in my
> neck of the woods later this month...