I saw KODO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Pharoahe Monch!!! for my Bornday!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(This is late but I had to finish it.)

So, here's the deal. I've been a fan of the music group/Drum troupe KODO since 1995. They've been around a bit longer than that but that's when they jumped on my radar. They're awesomeness stood out to me in a film full of awesomeness titled, 'The Hunted'. This was a modern film dealing with a samurai/ninja feud with a gaijin thrown in the middle.



I LOVE THIS MOVIE! And in this awesome movie is an awesome scene in which KODO is playing a live performance in the park. And they are playing a piece which to this day is still my favorite, Irodori.


(A different performance of the same piece.)

Pure awesomeness! [I know I keep using that word. However, it does mean what I think it means. Trust me. ;-)] So, after witnessing that awesomeness I HAD to 'hunt' (hee hee) down the score/soundtrack to this movie. And what do I find?!!! Not only did KODO have that piece in the film that they performed live but their music WAS the score of the film. I must say it again. PURE AWESOMENESS!!!! So, needless to say, I've been a fan since, tracking down albums and getting new ones as they are released over the years. Now I've always wanted to see them perform live but they do world tours periodically. Oh, it is understood that they're Japanese right? Okay, just making sure. Oh, and they're style of music is centered on the traditional Japanese drum, the taiko? They're based on Sado Island in Japan. The name KODO means two things: 1 Heartbeat and 2 Children of the Drum. How awesome is that?! Anyway to learn more about them visit their website here.

SO, they were touring the States again this year and near my Bornday, so I said, I AM GOING! I'd only ever seen them perform on video and this was an opportunity I couldn't miss. Especially for my Bornday!! One word: AWESOMENESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are few things as awesome and satisfying as watching people perform fully focused on what they are doing. I am a huge admirer of live performance and just love watching people who love what they do and are fully dedicated and focused on it. To watch Flow is simply amazing and the KODO players at Lincoln Center that night were Flowing and on point! I was glowing for days after that. Shit, I'm still glowing from the memory!

A few days later, MORE AWSOMENESS!!! I go see Pharoahe Monch, a most prolific, intelligent, and excellent Emcee! He had just recently released his new album W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) and was having an album release concert. I had already been listening to the album for a few days so I was ready! The album is pure awesomeness justincaseyouwerewondering. Opening the show was a new kid on Duck Down from New Zealand, I can't remember his name. Then Skyzoo came out and tore the damn stage down! Kid is mad nice on the mic and he knows how to rock a crowd. Needs way more shine than a lot of the punks out today. Anyways, BOOM!, it's Pharoahe time! Pharoahe is mad nice!!!! The album is tight, stage presence is tight, DJ and backup singers are tight! The show was off da hook! Had special guests bless the stage, Immortal Technique (Mad nice!), The Ghost Styles P (D-Block!!! mad nice!), E-40 was in the house just to pay respect to Monch, and of course JEAN GRAE(supa-dupa mad nice!!!!!)!!!!!!! I had a great time. Of course Pharoahe closed the show with one of the biggest club bangaz in rap/Hip-Hop: Simon Says! C'mon son! Everyone in the spot was jumpin' and hollerin' along! I didn't have no voice after that show, which is the way it's supposed to be.


(The first video from W.A.R. Awesome!)

The day after my Bornday I hung out with my bestabuddy, my spirit-brother, David. We went to a whiskey bar called The Whiskey Ward. They have an entire menu of single malt whiskeys, and other things as well. But we were there for the single malts and boy did we partake! Great time.

This is one of the more awesome Bornday year's I've had. [Here's pictures!] Two awesome concerts with my Pixie and hanging with my best friend. Few things are better. Enjoy yourselves!

LAterz