Brother Ali and BK One
Date: September 13, 2005 I'll Give it All to You As Long as You Can Promise Me This Apart from the choice of Barrymore's as the venue, Brother Ali's latest visit to Ottawa matched what I have come to expect from hip hop shows in this city. The schedule pushed late into the night, the local openers were energetic, the crowd was enthusiastic, and the headliners were excellent. After Skratch Bastid spun records long enough for the club to fill up, the night got underway in earnest with local crew Periodic Trends playing their final gig. Their set drew a push of bodies to the front of the floor; and the energy of the audience was returned by way of a solid performance. The tempo remained high for Flight Distance, whose short set was raw and spirited. Philadelphia's Last Emperor was as animated as the openers but he illustrated the benefits of tempering enthusiasm with control. From his opening a cappella, he displayed a very smooth vocal delivery, which went on to mesh perfectly with the turntable work of Skratch Bastid. Whether dropping pop culture references through aggressive braggadocio or taking a quieter approach on more contemplative songs, the Last Emperor was always on the mark, with crystal clear vocals and intelligent lyrics. As is usual for the hip hop shows, this one packed a lot of entertainment value. When Emp wrapped up, Skratch Bastid remained on stage to deliver a wild turntable routine that he had recently employed in DMC Championship competition. Bastid always looks like he's having a great time on stage; and this was a fun performance to take in. Finally, Brother Ali took to the stage with his DJ, BK One. Like the Last Emperor, Ali is also a fine example of intensity meeting vocal control, albeit favouring the side of intensity. On this night, though, I was a bit worried, as his voice showed some strain in the earlier portion of his set. My concern proved unnecessary, though, as Ali battle through to deliver a lengthy performance that only got better as the night marched on. "Room With a View" set the tone for the concert, exemplifying both Ali's impassioned rap style and his ability to get a crowd jumping, screaming, chanting, and hanging on his every word. The interaction between Ali and his audience remained strong, whether the crowd was supplying vocals on "Back Stage Pacin'" or "Star Quality" or simply enjoying Ali's fiery renditions of "Self Taught" or "Forest Whitiker." The interplay between Ali and his DJ was also tight, with BK One sometimes making his mark, as with the beat switch on "Prince Charming," and sometimes simply keeping the set rolling forward. Other older highlights in the night included "Picket Fence" and "Chain Link"; but Ali also included a number of unreleased songs, perhaps offering a taste of his next album, due in the spring. Ali has always impressed me with his versatility on stage; and several of those new pieces were delivered more as spoken word poetry than as raps, with BK One dropping out of the mix, allowing Ali to stand alone while he touched on very personal topics. If Ali's voice had been giving him any problems early in the affair, his triumph was completed in a long encore that featured two such a cappella showcases, ending the concert on a high. When I spoke to Ali after the show, he mentioned that his goal is to reach here on tour twice a year. With the dedication to performing that he proved yet again, I am sure that he will have Ottawa crowds in the palm of his hand for years to come, every time that he touches down in the city. <--Prev (Controller.Controller) | Next (The White Stripes)-->Return to Concert ListReturn to Main Page |