Tour dates for Classified

7/04/11: Lewis & Clark Fairgrounds, Helena, MT (Tech N9ne’s Independents Day Fest)
7/06/11: The Venue, Casper, WY
7/07/11: Dublin Square, Rapid City, SD
7/08/11: Fox Theatre, Boulder, CO
7/09/11: Marquis Theater, Denver, CO
7/10/11: The Black Sheep, Colorado Springs, CO
7/11/11: Aggie Theatre, Ft Collins, CO

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Tour dates for Ana Tijoux

9/06/11: House of Blues, San Diego, CA
9/07/11: House of Blues, Anaheim, CA
9/09/11: Music Box, Los Angeles, CA
9/11/11: Regency Theater, San Francisco, CA

w/Los Amigos Invisibles, Bostich + Fussible

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Tour dates for Pharoahe Monch

5/24/11: UCSD, San Diego, CA
5/25/11: The Noise Academy, Pomona, CA
5/27/11: Velvet Jones, Santa Barbara, CA
5/29/11: UCLA Intramural Field, Los Angeles, CA (UCLA Jazz and Reggae Festival)
5/31/11: Commonwealth Lounge, Fullerton, CA
6/01/11: Fulton 55, Fresno, CA
6/02/11: 330 Ritch, San Francisco, CA
6/04/11: Pagoda Lounge, San Jose, CA
6/05/11: The Underground, Reno, NV
6/08/11: WOW Hall, Eugene, OR
6/09/11: Peter’s Room, Portland, OR
6/10/11: The Crocodile, Seattle, WA
6/11/11: Zebra Cocktail Lounge, Bozeman, MT
6/12/11: Reef, Boise, ID
6/15/11: The Hotel, Salt Lake City, UT
6/16/11: Black Sheep, Colorado Springs, CO
6/17/11: Aggie Theater, Fort Collins, CO
6/18/11: Marquis Theater, Denver, CO
6/21/11: Club Red, Tempe, AZ
6/22/11: The Roxy, Los Angeles, CA

Updated May 30, 2011.

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Review: TOKiMONSTA, “Creature Dreams”

TOKiMONSTA, Creature Dreams
Brainfeeder

With Creature Dreams, TOKiMONSTA makes a few tweaks to her neo-trip-hop adventures, most impressively adding loud drums to “Day Job’s” guitar loop, and then closing out the track with an unexpected blast of noisy feedback. She manages a few other modest twists; including a disorienting synthesizer intro for “Moving Forward,” if only to head off an incipient threat of repeating herself (the intro to “Stigmatizing Sex” sounds like “Bready Soul” from 2010’s Midnight Menu). TOKiMONSTA’s stock-and-trade remains buttery instrumental hip-hop that hearkens to the golden era of DJ Shadow and Ninja Tune’s beats and pieces, and she delivers on that count with Creature Dreams in spite of its creeping familiarity. There’s even a song with guest vocalist Gavin Turek called “Little Pleasures.”

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Tupac (and Biggie) back

The 1990s remains disputed territory. You can see the old wounds reopening as Meek Mill’s “Tupac Back” winds its way through the Internet, generating immediate claims for the greatness of the Notorious B.I.G. (Maino’s “Biggie Is Back”) and Big Pun … Continue reading

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What’s a black Beatle, anyway?

“What’s a black Beatle anyway, a fucking roach?” — Kanye West, “Gorgeous”

Photo courtesy of Nasty Little Man PR.

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Tour dates for Frank Ocean

5/12/11: Paradise Lounge, Boston, MA
5/13/11: Highline Ballroom, New York, NY
5/14/11: First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA
5/15/11: Mod Club, Toronto, Ontario
5/16/11: Magic Stick, Detroit, MI
5/18/11: Rock & Roll Hotel, Washington, DC
5/19/11: Sonar, Baltimore, MD

w/Odd Future

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Review: Outasight, “Figure 8”

Outasight, Figure 8
Warner Bros. Records

Outasight’s Figure 8 sounds like many things: a little Drake on the career summary “Life Or Something Like It,” and a bit like Mike Posner (or at least Cee-Lo’s pop-soul hybrid) on “Maybe Next Time.” “Lately I’ve been trying my best, but maybe it ain’t good enough,” he sings on the title track, echoing the “patiently waiting for fame” complaint too often heard in the pop/rap Zeitgeist. Truthfully, the long-gestating Philadelphia musician has internalized so many styles and voices that he has begun feeling towards an identity of his own. His years-long stint in label development hell generates some hard-won rewards, including a genuinely rousing performance on “Everything,” if not necessarily a memorable song.

Download the Figure 8 EP at outasight.bandcamp.com.

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Tour dates for Mayer Hawthorne

5/28/11: Uptown Theatre, Kansas City, MO
5/29/11: 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, CO
5/30/11: McKay Events Center, Oren, UT
6/02/11: WAMU Theater @ Qwest Field, Seattle, WA
6/03/11: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
6/04/11: Theater of the Clouds @ The Rose Garden, Portland, OR
6/07/11: Grand Sierra Resort & Casino, Reno, NV
6/08/11: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
6/11/11: Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar, CA (San Diego County Fair)
6/12/11: Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, CA
6/14/11: Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, CA
6/15/11: Comerica Theatre, Phoenix, AZ

5/28/11-6/16/11: w/Bruno Mars, Janelle Monae

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Tour dates for Aloe Blacc

5/20/11: Belly Up Tavern, Solano Beach, CA
5/21/11: Detroit Bar, Costa Mesa, CA
5/22/11: Henry Fonda Theater, Los Angeles, CA
5/25/11: Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA (w/the Stepkids)
5/27/11: Dante’s, Portland, OR
5/28/11: Gorge Amphitheater, Seattle, WA (Sasquatch Festival)
5/29/11: Fortune Sound Club, Vancouver, BC
6/01/11: Rock N Roll Hotel, Washington, D.C.
6/02/11: World Cafe, Philadelphia, PA
6/03/11: Highline Ballroom, New York, NY
6/04/11: Le Belmont, Montreal, QC
6/05/11: Wrongbar, Toronto, ON
6/06/11: Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL

Photo by Dan Monick.

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Sign your birth certificate

This was spotted over at Ego Trip’s site. It’s a clever appropriation of Mario Castellanos and Kevin Hossman’s memorable cover art for Ice Cube’s Death Certificate. I’m not sure if Mr. Obama would appreciate the comparison.

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Tour dates for Del the Funky Homosapien

4/19/11: Rasputin’s, Berkeley, CA (in-store)
4/22/11: Shattuck Downlow, Berkeley, CA
4/25/11: Key Club, West Hollywood, CA
4/27/11: Velvet Lounge, Santa Barbara, CA
4/28/11: Arnette, Fullerton, CA (in-store)
4/29/11: Southeastern College, Georgetown, TX
5/01/11: BB Kings, New York, NY (w/Artifacts)
5/02/11: Sonar Lounge, Baltimore, MD
5/04/11: The Met, Pawtucket, RI
5/05/11: Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte, NC
5/06/11: AWOL Youth Center, Savannah, GA
5/07/11: The Lomax, Jacksonville, FL
5/09/11: New Earth Music Hall, Athens, GA
5/10/11: TBA, Gainesville, FL
5/12/11: CZAR, Tampa, FL
5/13/11: TBA, Miami, FL
5/20/11: Seattle University, Seattle, WA (workshop)
5/21/11: TBA, Seattle, WA

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Tour dates for Plan B

4/19/11: El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
4/21/11: Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco, CA
4/23/11: Chop Suey, Seattle, WA
4/24/11: Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR
4/26/11: Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City, UT
5/04/11: Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY
5/05/11: Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
5/07/11: Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ
5/08/11: Agganis Arena, Boston, MA
5/10/11: Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
5/11/11: Fillmore, Miami Beach, FL
5/21/11: United Palace, New York, NY
5/23/11: Royal Oak Music Theater, Royal Oaks, MI
5/24/11: Riviera Theater, Chicago, IL
5/26/11: First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN

5/04/11, 5/07/11-5/11/11: w/Bruno Mars, Janelle Monae
5/21/11-5/26/11: w/Adele

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Tour dates for Chiddy Bang’s “Bamboozle Road Show”

5/04/11: House of Blues, Boston, MA
5/06/11: The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
5/07/11: House of Blues, Myrtle Beach, SC
5/11/11: House of Blues, Orlando, FL
5/13/11: House of Blues, Houston, TX
5/15/11: House of Blues, Dallas, TX
5/18/11: House of Blues, San Diego, CA
5/19/11: House of Blues, Los Angeles, CA
5/20/11: The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
5/24/11: The Commodore, Vancouver, BC
5/30/11: House of Blues, Chicago, IL
6/02/11: Egyptian Room, Indianapolis, IN
6/03/11: Bogart’s, Cincinnati, OH
6/04/11: St. Andrew’s, Detroit, MI
6/05/11: House of Blues, Cleveland, OH
6/08/11: TLA, Philadelphia, PA
6/10/11: Sound Academy, Toronto, ON

5/04/11-6/10/11: w/Pusha T, Dev, Ninjasonik

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Tour dates for Shabazz Palaces

5/11/11: Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA
5/12/11: Santo’s Party House, New York, NY
6/30/11: Neumos, Seattle, WA
7/01/11: Neumos, Seattle, WA
7/17/11: Union Park, Chicago, IL (Pitchfork Music Festival)

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Tour dates for Currensy’s “Jet Life” tour

4/20/11: Howlin Wolf, New Orleans, LA
4/21/11: Warehouse Live, Houston, TX
4/22/11: Emo’s, Austin, TX
4/23/11: Trees, Dallas, TX
4/24/11: Tequila Jungle, Lubbock, TX
4/25/11: Sunshine Theatre, Albuquerque, NM
4/26/11: Rialto, Tucson, AZ
4/27/11: Clubhouse, Tempe, AZ
4/28/11: Epicentre, San Diego, CA
4/29/11: El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
5/02/11: SLO Brew, San Luis Obispo, CA
5/03/11: Velvet Jones, Santa Barbara, CA
5/04/11: Detroit Bar, Costa Mesa, CA
5/05/11: Space120, Palm Springs, CA
5/06/11: Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
5/07/11: Avalon, Santa Clara, CA
5/08/11: W.O.W. Hall, Eugene, OR
5/11/11: Neumo’s, Seattle, WA
5/12/11: Wild Buffalo House Of Music, Bellingham, WA
5/13/11: Club 919, Victoria, BC
5/14/11: Fortune Club, Vancouver, BC
5/15/11: Roseland Theater, Portland, WA
5/17/11: Top Hat, Missoula, MT
5/18/11: Knitting Factory, Boise, ID
5/19/11: In The Venue, Salt Lake City, UT
5/20/11: Fox Theatre, Boulder, CO
5/21/11: Summit Music Hall, Denver, CO
5/22/11: Black Sheep, Colorado Springs, CO
5/24/11: Waiting Room, Omaha, NE
5/25/11: Blue Moose Tap House, Iowa City, IA
5/26/11: Metro, Chicago, IL
5/27/11: Old Rock House, St. Louis, MO
5/29/11: Canterbury Park, Shakopee, MN (Soundset Festival)
5/31/11: Eagle Theater, Pontiac, MI
6/01/11: Mod Club, Toronto, ON
6/02/11: Higher Ground, South Burlington, VT
6/03/11: The Middle East, Cambridge, MA
6/04/11: Bourbon Street, Baltimore, MD
6/06/11: Irving Plaza, New York, NY
6/07/11: Trocadero Theater, Philadelphia, PA
6/08/11: Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC
6/09/11: Soapbox, Wilmington, NC
6/10/11: Green Street Club, Greensboro, NC
6/11/11: Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
6/14/11: Club Firestone, Orlando, FL
6/15/11: Jannus Club, St. Petersburg, FL
6/16/11: Grand Central, Miami, FL
6/17/11: Club Boca, Boca Raton, FL

w/Trademark Da Skydiver, Young Roddy, Fiend, Corner Boy P, Nesby Phips, Monsta Beatz, Smoke DZA

Updated May 2, 2011.

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Tour dates for Wiz Khalifa’s “Rolling Papers Tour”

6/11/11: Great Stage Park, Manchester, TN (Bonnaroo)
6/12/11: Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, St. Louis, MO
6/13/11: PNC Pavillion At Riverbend, Cincinnati, OH
6/14/11: LC Pavillion, Columbus, OH
6/15/11: Val Air Ballroom, Des Moines, IA
6/16/11: Cabooze Plaza, Minneapolis, MN
6/18/11: 1st Bank Center, Denver, CO
6/21/11: Montblue Casino, Lake Tahoe, NV
6/22/11: Bill Graham Civic Center, San Francisco, CA
6/23/11: Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA
6/25/11: The Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
6/27/11: The Joint, Las Vegas, NV
6/28/11: Mesa Amphitheater, Mesa, AZ
6/29/11: Ava Amphitheater, Tucson, AZ
6/30/11: Convention Center, Albuquerque, NM
7/02/11: Verizon Theater At Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, TX
7/03/11: Cedar Park Center, Cedar Park, TX
7/06/11: Reliant Arena, Houston, TX
7/07/11: Kiefer Uno Lakefront Arena, New Orleans, LA
7/10/11: Time Warner Cable Amphitheater, Cleveland, OH
7/15/11: Sunset Cove, Boca Raton, FL
7/18/11: House Of Blues, Myrtle Beach, SC
7/20/11: Uptown Amphitheater, Charlotte, NC
7/21/11: White Oak Amphitheater, Greensboro, NC
7/22/11: Ntleos Wireless Pavilion, Portsmouth, VA
7/23/11: Charlottesville Pavilion, Charlottesville, VA
7/24/11: Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
7/27/11: Meadowbrook Pavilion, Gilford, NH
7/30/11: Bank Of America Pavilion, Boston, MA
8/03/11: Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center, Rochester, NY

Photo by Darren Ankenman.

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Tour dates for Mary Anne Hobbs

4/13/11: The Baltic Room, Seattle, WA (w/Gonja Sufi, Lorn, Take)
4/15/11: 103 Harriet, San Francisco, CA (w/Kode9, Gonja Sufi)
4/16/11: Empire Polo Field, Indio, CA (Coachella)
4/20/11: The Airliner, Los Angeles, CA
4/21/11: The Hookah, New Orleans, LA (w/Gonja Sufi, Lorn)
4/22/11: The Vagabond, Miami, FL
4/24/11: Paradise, Boston, MA (w/Lorn, Mike Slott, Take)
4/25/11: Cielo, New York, NY
4/26/11: Silk City, Philadelphia, PA
4/27/11: Wrong Bar, Toronto, ON
4/29/11: Club Lambi, Montreal, QC

Photo by Shaun Bloodworth.

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Tour dates for Lyrics Born

3/30/11: The Blockley, Philadelphia, PA
3/31/11: 8×10, Baltimore, MD
4/01/11: Awful Arthur’s, Blacksburg, VA
4/02/11: Pisgah Brewery, Asheville, NC
4/04/11: The Social, Orlando, FL
4/05/11: Engine Room, Tallahassee, FL
4/06/11: Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville, FL
4/07/11: Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
4/08/11: Crossroads, Huntsville, AL
4/09/11: Martin’s, Jackson, MS
4/11/11: One Eyed Jacks, New Orleans, LA
4/12/11: Zydeco, Birmingham, AL
4/13/11: Exit/Inn, Nashville, TN
4/14/11: 2720, St. Louis, MO
4/15/11: Proud Larry’s, Oxford, MS
4/16/11: Sticky Finger, Little Rock, AR
4/20/11: Skier’s Plaza, Whistler, BC
4/22/11: Fat Cat, Modesto, CA
4/23/11: Yoshi’s, San Francisco, CA

3/30/11-4/22/11: w/ Skins & Needles

Photo by Jason Wallis.

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Tour dates for Kode9

4/08/11: The Bunker, New York, NY (Unsound Festival)
4/09/11: The Social, Toronto, ON
4/13/11: Holocene, Portland, OR
4/15/11: 103 Harriet, San Francisco, CA
4/17/11: Empire Polo Field, Indio, CA (Coachella)

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