Public Enemy Live

[MistaJohn]

I just got back from traveling to Myrtle Beach to catch Public Enemy at the House of Blues - Chuck and Flav were un-Fing-believable! These dudes are in their late 40's and move around the stage like 20-year-olds.

They put on a 3 hour show (unheard of in a day where most "entertainers" give you a 45-minute set) - performing all the classics and a few new cuts. Shut 'Em Down, Rebel Without a Pause, Can't Truss It, Fight the Power, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos, 911 is a Joke, Give it Up, He Got Game ... etc. etc. - classic after classic. the gang is all there - Professor Griff, S1W and backed by a full band and DJ Lord.

You will not be disappointed - catch them if you can! - their 57th World Tour stops at:

Sun, 03/18/07
08:00 PM    Public Enemy    Warehouse Live Houston, TX

Wed, 03/21/07
08:00 PM    Public Enemy    House of Blues New Orleans New Orleans, LA

Thu, 03/22/07
08:00 PM    Public Enemy    Hard Rock Live Orlando Orlando, FL    

Fri, 03/23/07
07:00 PM    Public Enemy    Jannus Landing St Petersburg, FL 

Also - X-Clan (well, Brother J) opens for PE - I wasn't impressed.

[EastCoastHoney]

Man, I'm envious!  I would have loved to have been at that concert!!   

[PL]

Nice...you've got to respect hip hop groups that are still doing after so many years.  I remember seeing them in concert back in '91.  It was a huge tour: Geto Boys, Queen Latifah, Tribe, LONS, Naughty by Nature & PE headlining.

[MistaJohn]

Whaddup East and PL - I hear ya - the trip was completely worth it - next time PE comes around in a 1000 mile radius, I'm there once again! - best performance I've ever witnessed and working in radio for over a decade, I've seen everyone perform.

Somebody photographed the PE show in Baltimore last week - check out the flicks.

http://puzpics.smugmug.com/gallery/2593102#136667640

I think the smartest move was to add the live band element - Chuck was calling for backing change-ups throughout - for instance, on Shut Em Down he would perform a verse to the original beat, the next verse would change up to the Pete Rock remix and then the last verse would be James Brown's 'The Payback' - so, even if you were a PE fanatic like myself, that has heard the songs 10,000 times - there was something new.

[MistaJohn]

Almost forgot - Chuck and Flav shouted out 3rd Bass during the concert - they had a bit about 3/4th way into the concert where they shout out their favorite hip-hop groups - 3rd Bass was one of 8 or so. They end with Run-DMC and then do a quick RUN-DMC set.

[andyfilius]

One quick question about PE.I have their live DVD from '99. That is great too. BUT, one thing that bothers me is that PE performs their songs over the full tracks on wax from the actual albums. So you can hear Chuck and Flav's vocals from the records backing their own live vocals. This does 2 things that bug me: 1. it distracts from the live vocal inflection from Chuck&Flav and 2. it means that the songs show now live originality or creativity. They stick exactly to the originals, in length and verse. It'd be nice to see them break down some songs differently and not have to perform exactly as the originals. Did they do this again live, still perform with their own backing voice behind them?

[MistaJohn]

Whaddup Andy,

No - PE is 100% live in concert now. They have a DJ (DJ Lord) who is mixing off of Serato with instrumentals only and they have a live band (drums, bass guitar, lead guitar) that enhances the tracks. DJ Lord was switching up beats constantly and occasionally the band would totally take over.

Chuck was interviewed about how they used to use backing tracks up until these last few tours - his excuse was that they didn't have the instrumentals to a lot of their old stuff - the true reason is that Terminator X wasn't a very talented DJ (turns out he did little to zero mixing/scratching on any of PE's albums - DJ Johnny Juice was his "ghost mixer) - and couldn't manage the records live very well - I've seen clips of Chuck getting pissed at him on stage for skipping around a track. I still have love for TX though - his presence alone was hip-hop gold.

PE did plenty off "off-script" performing in their new concert set - I don't think they performed one song in it's entirety - they have such an extensive catalog - they just keep  hitting you with classic after classic. They are still touring overseas and will be coming back to the US in late July/August to co-headline this amazing concert festival:

Rock the Bells (http://rockthebells.net/) - Public Enemy, Wu-Tang, Rage Against the Machine, Cypress Hill, The Roots, Nas, Most Def, EPMD, MF Doom, Jedi Mind Trick, Sage Francis, Immortal Technique, The Coup - list goes on and on..

[MistaJohn]

YouTube is a beautiful thing:

Here is Public Enemy 2007 - Live:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi3ZmGmOZ88

Tell me PE still isn't the greatest rap group of all time. Chuck D is my savior!