April 18, 2004
NO POWERPOINT = SO, SO RAW
It is worth noting that the SFJ /Jay Kay impression Jessica mentioned, wherein Our Hero traveled without moving, occurred during the 2003 EMP Pop Conference. In Sasha's absence, this year's "VIRTUAL INSANITY" Award goes to Olympia electro-rap activists Scream Club.
Scream Club were scheduled to play our little EMP opening dance-party soiree, but the venue enforced early curfew, unceremoniously kicking us to the curb before much DJing or show-having happened. Scream Club spat on that; they were all like, "We came here to play a show, and we're going to find a show."
One hour later, they were blasting beats from the tape deck of a Toyota Tercel, dancing in a V-formation, and projectile rapping in the parking lot of the Re-Bar, to an audience of ten (plus the occasional Seattle uber-hipster type gazing on, in confusion and/or disdain). Their repertoire included "SOTI" (we're all "Sexy on the Inside"!) and an ode to breasts, in protest of Washington State's no-topless-ladies-in-public law, during which ties and tees were removed in solidarity. O-Dub broke the story (with photos, in case this parking-lot dance party scenario is too awesome for you to believe). MORAL: "UNPLANNED" YIELDS MAXIMUM MAGIC.
Four EMP Pop Con Bulletpoints:
* No Sharks vs. Jets panel/audience shakedowns.
* Ghetto Brothers Power: gangs, guitars and the aguinaldo—Jeff Chang's fantastic panel with former Ghetto Brothers leader Benjamin Melendez and filmmaker Henry Chalfant—showed, broadly, how hip-hop was borne of pacifism.
* Franklin Bruno, commenting on my guest bloggership: "That's an odd thing for Sasha to say."
Posted by Julianne Shepherd at April 18, 2004 12:00 AM | TrackBack