Sometimes it's better to forgo the unknown and stick with a sure bet; and last night's programming at CMJ inspired just that. Though there were a few bands I was curious to see (like Bang Bang Eche and Atlas Sound), I decided instead to go see Saul Williams headline the Afropunk showcase at Gramercy Theatre.
For those of you not in the know, Saul Williams is a brilliantly prolific singer, musician and poet who embraces electronica, hip-hop, spoken word and rock—then douses it with a glittery aesthetic that David Bowie would be proud of.
Last night's performance did not dissapoint. Though there was some confusion about the start time, Williams wound up performing for more than two hours as the audience literally would not let him stop. The result? We were treated to a broad range of his discography, including heavy helpings of his acclaimed collaboration with Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor, The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust! As demand for more grew, Williams even premiered a new, never-before-heard track that remained in the vain of his bass-heavy, electro-industrial rap style.
When the show actually did end—after what seemed like two encores—Williams jumped into the audience and proceeded to hug the remaining faithful, as if we were in a receiving line.
Look up Saul Williams, you won't regret it.
As for me, I'm off for a full day of shows today. If you're in NYC, stop by Cake Shop for Tee Pee Records' free day show, featuring stoner favorites Hull, Naam, Nebula and Priestess. You may even get some free Colt 45 for your efforts. It starts at noon and goes until 6 pm.
Until tomorrow...
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A South African prolific novelist, poet laureate, acclaimed linguist and grammarian, literature extraordinaire, celebrated actor and academic; Mohlouoa Ntsasa better known as Morena was born in Free State. He was educated at Ipetleng High School in Bolokanang and at the University of the Witwatersrand where he obtained his Honours. While at high school he obtained several literature achievements that include best actor and poet award from the Free State Legislature. At university he established a well known poetry organization called Déjà Vu Divine Arts, which later took a legal form as a private institution and innovations company and called Déjà Vu Divine Arts (Pty) Ltd. Both in overt and covert perceptions – the nostalgic trace of his rural background and more oblique, Morena’s groundbreaking work reflect his disturbed rural childhood history. His pioneering work often expresses themes of identity, religion, culture and education. Through his premier work, Morena directed a number of spoken-word productions that were staged nationally and internationally at arts festivals, namely: Keep in Touch, Integration by Parts, What if Nobody Calms, and Time. Bellow his belt are a number of books and musical projects that include: African We-Men (English Novel), Poetic Therapy (English Poetry Collection), Dinthontho tsa Mefutafuta (SeSotho Novel), Power of Thought (Multilingual Inspirational and Motivational Quotes), Stem (English Poetry Anthology coauthored with G.Molebalwa), and his debut musical project Time (Fusion of Poetry and Music).
Mohlouoa Ntsasa a.k.a Morena can be considered a vibrant doyen of ancient and modern academic literature in Africa. He is currently working on a Palindrome in Iambic Pentameter which was never an easy feat even for Shakespeare. In his motivational and inspirational quotes book Power of Thought Morena once said; “If education is a lock then our roots are key”.
For more information contact:
Tel: +27535740223
Mob: +27820406037
E-Mail: ntshsam@yahoo.com
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