The Roots @ Warehouse Live

The Roots stopped by Houston on the last leg of their tour to play for a sold-out audience at Warehouse Live. We were there to take it all in.

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The night started out with DJ Generic spinning the same cuts that every other Houston DJ spins before every other hip-hop show. We had several people in agreement that this was an unnecessary and unneeded show opener. Why do we have to subject ourselves to bits and pieces of the same classic hip-hop songs DJ Annoying chooses? On top of that, the MC that lent his random "uggghhh"'s and "whhaaatt"'s to these songs needed to be removed via cane by someone on the side of the stage. Where was a gong when we needed it? All would be better if someone chose to challenge our ears by mixing in new, unheard hip-hop with some of those classic cuts, you know, just to change it up a bit.

While DJ Unoriginal was providing the soundtrack, we made our way to the front of the stage so that Cereal could take advantage of the photo pass. After exchanging words with the near-deaf security guard who was inexplicably trying to deny access into the pit, Cereal defiantly fought her way in to snap some shots. Meanwhile, I stood off to the side while every spare inch of room started to fill in with people trying to get a glimpse at Black Thought's sunglasses, or the size of ?uestlove's fro. The Roots immediately started in on their funk-based sound, which, unlike many hip-hop acts today, features a full band. Their have been many different incarnations of this Philadelphia-based hip-hop collective, but the current group, along with founding members Black Thought and ?uestlove, consists of Captain Kirk Douglas on guitar, Kamal Gray on keys, Freddie Knuckles on percussion, Owen Biddle on bass, and Damon "Tuba Gooding Jr." Bryson on sousaphone. These seven guys bring everything they can to their live performances, which translates very well to their die-hard fanbase, and is also the reason they have been dubbed "The Grateful Dead of hip-hop" in the latest issue of Relix magazine.

Every time I've had the opportunity to see The Roots, they always seem to impress me. Whether it be an opening slot, a festival set, or a headlining show, they know how to work the "room". This night wasn't any different. Houston, a city not really known for filling venues, packed the Warehouse with all walks of life for this mid-week event. One by one, each band member came on stage with its two leaders, ?uestlove and Black Thought, the last to join. The set featured many of the new tracks from their latest album Rising Down, but since that album's genius has not yet sunk in, I found myself loving the old material the most. A jazzed up version of "You Got Me" was a treat, while "Star/Pointro" made the crowd move. A real highlight came when Houston's own Bun B made his way to the stage to join The Roots for a crowd-pleasing rendition of UGK and Outkast's "International Player's Anthem" which featured Bun B reciting both his and the late Pimp C's verses.

About half-way through the set, everyone but ?uestlove, Captain Kirk, and Tuba Gooding Jr. left the stage, allowing the "side project" to perform their way through a twenty-minute cover of Bob Dylan's "Masters Of War". They started the song with Captain Kirk reciting the opening verse to the tune of "The Star Spangled Banner". While a bit cheesy, it fit with the message they were trying to send in covering such a meaningful song. ?uestlove also took this opportunity to showcase his chops during an extended drum solo that led back into the end of "Masters Of War". It was a great version for those of us familiar with Dylan's work, but it did not seem to be very well-received by the hip-hop heads who dominated the crowd. Not taking any more radical steps, the rest of the band returned to the stage and ripped through a host of their new songs.

The Roots - Masters Of War

The rest of the set featured many other staples including "The Seed (2.0)" and "Break You Off", as well as the new fan favorite "Rising Down". My highlight of the night came during the encore when they played through "The Next Movement" which made the still-full crowd dance their collective asses off. During the 2 hour performance, The Roots showed off their many influences while staying true to what they know best, performing amazing live music. Their reputation for being the best live act in hip-hop is quite fitting, as they are all true showmen. Black Thought's rhymes are like no other MC's, while the addition of ?uestlove's precision beats brings a dimension to their music that you can't get anywhere else. If you have never seen The Legendary Roots Crew live, do yourself a favor and buy a ticket the next time they come around.

The Roots - The Next Movement

Eggs' Rating: 8.6/10 yolks, for impressing me more and more every time I see them. Whether you like hip-hop or not, go see this group live!

Eat Your Damn Breakfast!

-Eggs