The band was opened by local act Undermind and KI and then Minneapolis group Grieves and Budo. The two bands were a solid opening act that built up the energy leading to the main event. Both Undermind and Grieves and Budo were able to get the crowd involved and showed off some unknown talents that the growing crowd took a liking to. Undermind and KI were a more traditional hip hop group with a DJ and a local taste. Grieves and Budo were a new twist on the standard sound as Budo served as DJ as well as guitarist, trumpeter and synthesizer that turned out a unique sound that few other groups are able to pull off.
The Blue Scholars took the stage as the Hall was approaching three-quarters full. The show featured songs off of all of their albums but not forgetting to focus on the popular songs that people had come to recognize them by. Both Geologic and Sabzi spent a large amount of time front and center on the stage, minimal DJ-ing done by Sabzi as they got everyone into the mood and as the crowd sang with the band constantly. The finished their set with "Joe Metro" a Seattle based song about public transportation and the characters in the city, and by far the most popular song.
This, of course, is not the first show the Blue Scholars have played they were at the WOW Hall last April. The popularity of the show caused them to add a second date this time. According to Bob Fennessy, the WOW Hall publicist, the Blue Scholars have "developed a loyalty to the Hall and want to support us because we are a nonprofit all ages venue." After selling out that first billing at the Hall the Scholars chose to return this year instead of moving up to the larger McDonald Theater just a few blocks away. The show was advertised in most local media with special tickets given out to University of Oregon Radio KWVA and Oregon State's radio station KBVR also advertised online heavily.
The band's progressive rap style is centered on Northwest lifestyle and attitude. Their music is an eclectic grouping of pop-culture references and ideas taken from the news and the way the world really is according to their website. Similarly the WOW Hall is a relic to the old industries of Eugene and the greater Northwest. The seventy-eight year old venue kept and intimate setting for the show which allowed the energetic, if not smaller, crowd a close interaction to the bands. The interaction was so intimate that by the end of the Blue Scholars' set about a third of the crowd was on stage with them with no issue or bum rush by security.
The Scholars are very Northwest orientated, but they do have experience playing at larger venues, in fact they recently returned from playing in New York. Sabzi was able to talk briefly about it and said that despite being the other side of the country they still were playing to an audience of "about six-hundred and about thirty percent of them were from Oregon or Washington." The unique music that is very specific to one area is appealing to "people who are interested in learning about other places" according to Sabzi and he went on to point out that for many of us we continually identify with new places as we grow and move on. Needless to say the band is appealing to new audiences constantly and moving in the right direction.
Blue Scholars "JOE METRO" Music Video from Zia Mohajerjasbi on Vimeo.
Who: Blue Scholars
What: Hip Hop Group from Seattle
Where: The WOW Hall in Eugene, OR
When: Oct 22-23
Why: Promotion and Performance at a popular hall
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