I mean, WTF.

Mos, I know I dogged you out a bit a minute back. Actually, I’ve dogged you from SF to Philly and back about your acting career and how I feel it detracts from what your music career could have been. Okay, and I still dogged you before the show.

But you know what Mos? I love you Mos. You’re the man.

Really, I want nothing more in my heart of hearts than to go to a rocking Mos Def show and leave inspired by his poetic splendor.

But, tonight, I left before the show was even over. Why? Because it was wack. And brilliant. Then wack.

Listen, I’m just telling you straight up.

Now, I know you probably started this tour out in Japan to get yourself used to being back onstage and all. That’s probably why you’re playing the Independent in SF tonight, too. You’re getting back in your swing of things cause so you’re doing this little clubs. Nice.

So I see you’re playing Oakland’s The New Parish, and even though I’ve talked all kinds of shit about you, I bought 2 tickets cause hearing you do the whole Black on Both Sides album? I wasn’t going to miss that shit. There was a time that I lived on that album, Blackstar, The Roots, and Common. Hell, the first published web article I wrote 10 years ago was on you, Mos Def. It was entitled Sympathetic Strings. If my memory still serves, it was about the ordeal I went through to leave work in Sacramento and make your show in SF. It was at the Maritime Theater. I think The Roots or Common performed with you that night.

So I was ready for some live ass jumping off shit tonight. What happened?

Well, the 6pm open door time got moved to 9pm. Plane issues were sighted as the cause. Fair enough. Shit happens. But you gotta know it’s a Sunday night so you’re already straining people.

So, by the time the time you finally took the stage at 11:40ish, I was like WTF. When you started lip-synching your first song, I was like WTF. When you lip-synched 2 more songs, I thought I was in a bad dream. When you rocked some Black on Both Sides songs, I was like alright. Now it’s about to get live in here. But then you did more lip-synching. I mean seriously Mos? Lip-synching? To expose the crowd to your new songs? At 12:53AM, after an hour of performing, you had lip-synched 7 songs and HAND-SYNCHED 2 Death songs. Shortly after that, I did something that I once believed to be impossible. I walked out of your show.

I’ll never pay to see you perform again Mos. Sorry dude. The last time your singing killed me. This time it was the lip-synching. Mos, it was totally fucking wack. It came across as the most self-indulgent bullshit I’ve ever seen. Seriously. I didn’t pay money to watch you lip-synch. I can have more fun lip-synching to your songs at home by myself. Or better, watch jstchilling, cause this kid is more entertaining to watch lip-synch than you are.

What would you think if you saw Chuck D, Rakim, or Big Daddy Kane lip-synching all their new shit? You think Tariq from The Roots would ever do that? I’ve seen Talib Kweli lose his shit onstage because his DJ wasn’t on-time or working the crowd. You think your buddy would get on stage and lip-synch? Hell to the no.

Stick to rapping. Or quit altogether. But this half-ass shit is wack.

FYI — to the owner of The New Parish that was a jerk to me last night — I’m giving you a pass this time cause I know it’s tough getting a new place rolling tight. But remember, your success is propelled by treating locals right.

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Here’s the Kings of Leon performing Sex on Fire, 5.21.09 at The Bill Graham Civic Center in San Francisco, CA.

Great show. And if you haven’t heard it yet, their latest work, Only By the Night, is one of the best albums of the decade. That is not an overstatement. Seriously, go get it!

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kings of leon

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So, I’ve been a bit slow on the draw about this, but I saw the Obits at the Bottom of the Hill last week.

The Bottom of the Hill is a legendary place to see indie music in SF, named for it’s location at the bottom of the steep Potrero Hill neighborhood. It’s an old Victorian-style house that looks like it’s had the living room blown out of it for mad parties — or in this case, punk rock revivals.

There must have been a bunch of kids in bands in the early 90s that had their dreams destroyed by the Nirvana’s and Pearl Jam’s out there that overpowered the scene, then sadly watched the music industry completely change as bling-bling rap took over the stage. After years of working in coffee shops, bars, and who knows what else, it looks like the musicians from those bands are back and we are now seeing a punk rock resurgence.

Best Wishes

Best Wishes and the Lights opened. Best Wishes have a slightly surfy, ambient sound. Kinda like the Pixies meet Sigur Rós, but more rocking than that suggests. Best Wishes has a cute lead singer that can’t help but remind you of Kim Deal. Sorry about the lame photo. The guitarist had some great chops and the drummer was badass. I hope to see these guys around SF again sometime soon.

The Lights are pure unadulterated punk modern punk rock. Loud, brash, off-tune at times, and excellent driving energy throughout. Their kinda everything punk once was and should be again. Badass.

the Lights

The Obits…they really look like 3 stockbrokers and a Jewish dentist. Really. If you met these guys on the street, you’d think they worked in a bank. If you found out they played in a band, you’d think it was something just for fun after losing their jobs at AIG. But these guys are for real. After growing critical and public acclaim, these guys are hopefully getting their due…they’ve certainly paid enough of them. Their sound reminds me of Paul Westerburg and the Replacements meets Social Distortion. And I mean that in a very good way. These guys are a refreshingly earnest and tight band. I’d go see them again anytime.

Obits

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It was the first time I ever saw The Allman Brothers Band play live, as crazy as that may sound. I knew the show was coming up, but couldn’t decide about going on a Tuesday night. On Monday I finally came to my senses and decided it was something I couldn’t miss. So, on Tuesday I bought a ticket from guy after posting an ad on Craigslist, and he was even nice enough to stop by Market St. to drop it off for me.

Man, am I glad I went.

I also didn’t realize it was the Allman Brothers 40th anniversary tour. I guess there’s talk of it being their last big tour. I hope its not, because I’d love to see them again. All I can say is that Greg Allman is a legend, as are the rest of the original Allmans. But Warren and Derek Trucks sure bring the heat. I have no idea who else might try to replace Duane Allman and Dickey Betts the way these two do, but they sure wouldn’t do it the same way.

It’s pretty clear that Warren Haynes is the Reigning Dude of Blues. I’m embarrassed enough to actually blush as I admit that I haven’t seen him live before, either. It certainly won’t be the last time. I don’t care who he’s playing with, Allman, Dead, Govn’t Mule, or solo…if he’s playing I’m gonna be trying to go see it. The guy has soul deeper than an ocean.

It was also my first time at Oakland’s Fox Theater. (Look, I’m just beyond being ashamed at this point.)

While the Fillmore will always have its history and a certain utility, the Fox Theater has now got to be the best place to see an INDOOR show in the Bay Area. Easy to get to, some (limited in number) quick good eats, and just an absolutely beautiful restoration job. Not to mention a very cool and friendly staff.

They even have vents in the floor! Go. If you get the chance. Go.

Check out the pics–>

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