bradm Posted September 20, 2003 Report Share Posted September 20, 2003 The Pocket Dwellers, along with Hyulp, are playing Babylon tomorrow (Saturday) night. I've heard of them (and favourably so, from people whose musical opinions I respect), but don't know anything about them, such as musical style or where they're from. Figuring it'll be a reasonably cheap (probably <= $10), I'll probably go, but if anybody could give info/recommendations, I'd appreciate it. Aloha, Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry jr. Posted September 20, 2003 Report Share Posted September 20, 2003 Word up, word down, word all around. I too have heard many favourable things about these guys. I would go just based on the name of the band itself. They've got a website, pocketdwellers.com that you ought to check out. You can listen to their stuff. I like what I'm hearing. It should be funky, and I know a bunch of non-typicals who are heading down. I've got no idea on cover or start time, but that sheet can all be figured out. Do it up homies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schrybes Posted September 20, 2003 Report Share Posted September 20, 2003 Yes yes yes GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! You will have a fuckin wicked nite. I 100% guarantee it. The PD's are still goin strong. They've been touring all around this summer, all over Canada, in the States, at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. (I'm friends with the saxophone player, Dennis) They are recording a new album at the moment, and if I lived in Ottawa I'd be there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuleMomma Posted September 21, 2003 Report Share Posted September 21, 2003 Wish I knew more, but what I do know is that the first time we brought Karl Denson's Tiny Universe into the Comfort Zone on September 29, 1999, it was Cosmic Steve's idea to have the Pocket Dwellers open, since they have that kinda funk fusion groove with a conscious hip hop edge going on, plus we figured they would bring in an entirely different crowd, with a similar taste in music. What I was able to see of their set that night was fabulous, and several of the Tiny Universe were getting down to them too. Really impressive. They used to be based at least primarily in Toronto, but they don't seem to play around very often, so I'm not sure whether they still are, or even if their direction in music has remained constant. I do know though that if I lived in Ottawa, I know where I'd be tonight. Hope you make it to the show...let me know if they're still as good as they were back then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AD Posted September 21, 2003 Report Share Posted September 21, 2003 Pocket Dwellers are good, but... They have way too much going on. Every time I see them (the fact that I go back to see them might negate my opinion...) I come away confused because everyone plays flat-out non-stop. At times it just crazy that so much is going on; I'd like to see some people hang back in the mix, I'd like to see Nigel (the MC) get some dynamic range (wicked freestyler though) and I'd like to hear more instrumentals. But, BradM, go see them. They're good. ad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groove Fetish Posted September 22, 2003 Report Share Posted September 22, 2003 I used to hang a bit with the bass player- who made sure I got into Claypool and jaco to nname a few- thanks Gordo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradm Posted September 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2003 Wow! The show was intense. The best analogy would be the show was what would happen if Fishbone became a jamband. They laid down some seriously sick grooves. The rhythms came (to my ears) in layers, with each additional layer changing the meaning of what came before it. (Let me explain: one instrument, say the guitar, would start playing one rhythm, which you'd be grooving to a certain way. Then another instrument would start its rhythm, which would first be different from the guitar, but also cause you to groove differently from the way you were grooving to just the guitar. The whole was indeed greater than the sum of its parts.) The sound was very well balanced, to my ears. The MC didn't overpower, and the rapping he was laying down was a blast. It reminded me a bit of Blues Under Dog, in that it used hip-hop techniques to talk about more than just bling-bling stuff and how "bad" the MC is. Hyulp was also fun. They're an Ottawa band who have done about 3 gigs so far, but you wouldn't know from their stage show, which was polished, practised, and fun. They had a really good balance of sound (bass, guitar, keys, drums, trumpet, tenor sax, with at least of four of them singing at times, and singing well, with good harmonies). Not really jammy (less than say, the Formula, whose sound theirs most closely resembles), but still a blast. For a $10 show, it was well worth the money. There was a good crowd, most of whom were (I think) younger hip-hop fans.; minimal Skank presence (just me an Larry, I think). Thanks for the recommendations, people. I'm glad I went, and can't wait for the next time they come through. Aloha, Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry jr. Posted September 22, 2003 Report Share Posted September 22, 2003 Yo, y'all are fools for not checking out this show, fo' shizzle my bizzles and sizzles. This is how I talk now, and you could also, had you been inspired by these hip hop funk artists, beeyatch! Seriously though, it was a great show, and a good crowd. I started a grind circle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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