A-Trak at Knitting Factory
I went to A-Trak with The Rub (this monthly party normally happens at Southpaw) at the Knitting Factory Friday. It was ok. It was kind of like The Rub Jr. except A-Trak, Cuizinier, and GLC performed. A-Trak is an ill DJ but he was an ill DJ in 1999 too. Not much innovation in DJing has happened since so the performance becomes more about rocking the party. However, I think the people at the Knitting Factory came to see a show because they were faced toward the stage the entire time, even after the rappers were finished, and even after DJ Ayres got on the mic and said something like “This is a party, you don’t have to look at us.”
Cuizinier, whose name sounds like a fancy kitchen appliance, raps in french. I have no idea what the hell he was talking about but he wears t-shirts big enough for a grizzly bear and shorts made for people 9ft and taller.
Dave 1 (white jacket) from Chromeo was there, probably because he is A-Trak’s older brother. Jon Caramanica, a rap critic who got a shout out from Chamillionaire at the show at BB Kings, was also there.
Ryspace recently posted on the use of the vocoder/talk box and I don’t think you can talk about bands today using the crazy instruments without mentioning Chromeo. They will be at Intonation in Chicago.
Check out Needy Girl (MP3) if you have not heard it.