"Don't you believe I can rock your body?"
This query was propounded upon all who attended the End of Summer OldSchool/Freestyle Jam last Friday by one Stevie B. I don't know if anyone answered in the affirmative, but I was there, and here is my review:
The first act was Frankie Smith, who sadly performed only one song, his infectious radio hit "D(iz)ouble D(iz)utch Bus". He came out resembling a Black Yosemite Sam and danced like a maniac. It was rad.
Next was Company B, who I didn't know was acually a 3-piece girl group, styled VERY MUCH after The Supremes, choreography and all. They did 2 or 3 songs, including the discotheque smash "Fascinated". It was karaoke style with canned background music, but these bitches were FIERCE.
I'd heard that Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were going to be playing this festival, but thought their recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would mean they would be the headlining act. I was totally surprised to find out that they were on right after Company B. When they appeared, there were only a Furious two guys, Scorpio and some other dude. They were accompanied by a DJ who I don't think was Grandmaaster Flash, unless he'd gained 100 pounds in the last 6 months. They blew my mind with "White Lines", and "The Message" was received, but then they busted into a medley of a bunch of OTHER oldschool rap groups' songs, like "Walk This Way" (RUN-DMC version) and Kurtis Blow's "The Breaks". That was odd. And every 2 minutes they kept doing the whole,
Them:SAY HO!
Us: HO!
Them: SAY HO HO!
Us: HO HO!
Them: SOMEBODY SCREEEEEEAAAM!
Us: screaming
That shit got really annoying after the 5th time.
Trinere's outfit looked better at last year's Freestyle fest, but she still brought it with that "If you give me half a chance, I'll rock your world" song.
God bless the Dazz Band (or at least 2 of their singers and 1 drummer who showed up) for doing "Joystick", a song which likens the male sexual organ to a video gaming apparatus. I seriously like this song.
Evelyn "Champagne" King sang 4 songs including "Love Come Down", "Get Loose", and "Shame" while doing these stripper dances that were way too scandalous.
Next was the Sugar Hill Gang, who besides doing "Rapper's Delight" busted out a medley of other people's jams such as Zapp & Roger's "More Bounce to the Ounce" and "The Humpty Dance". And they brought back the call-and-response "SOMEBODY SCREEEEAAM!" shit a dozen times, too.
A show with all 4 Mary Jane Girls was not to be had; instead there was only JoJo (one of the Black girls) and 2 younger White girls. She dedicated her set to the late, great, Rick James and sang the awesome "Candy Man" and "In My House".
Expose was restored to the original trio, and I have to admit they were good even though I like totally hate "Seasons Change".
And last but not least was the headliner, Stevie B. Gone was the Jheri curl mullet/moustache combo, but I still dug "Party Your Body" and Spring Love". It was good to see that he had an actual drummer, keyboardist, and bass player onstage with him, but once he said, "This one's dedicated to all the ladies" and I heard the first strains of the slow jam "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)" it was my cue to leave.
The first act was Frankie Smith, who sadly performed only one song, his infectious radio hit "D(iz)ouble D(iz)utch Bus". He came out resembling a Black Yosemite Sam and danced like a maniac. It was rad.
Next was Company B, who I didn't know was acually a 3-piece girl group, styled VERY MUCH after The Supremes, choreography and all. They did 2 or 3 songs, including the discotheque smash "Fascinated". It was karaoke style with canned background music, but these bitches were FIERCE.
I'd heard that Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were going to be playing this festival, but thought their recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would mean they would be the headlining act. I was totally surprised to find out that they were on right after Company B. When they appeared, there were only a Furious two guys, Scorpio and some other dude. They were accompanied by a DJ who I don't think was Grandmaaster Flash, unless he'd gained 100 pounds in the last 6 months. They blew my mind with "White Lines", and "The Message" was received, but then they busted into a medley of a bunch of OTHER oldschool rap groups' songs, like "Walk This Way" (RUN-DMC version) and Kurtis Blow's "The Breaks". That was odd. And every 2 minutes they kept doing the whole,
Them:SAY HO!
Us: HO!
Them: SAY HO HO!
Us: HO HO!
Them: SOMEBODY SCREEEEEEAAAM!
Us: screaming
That shit got really annoying after the 5th time.
Trinere's outfit looked better at last year's Freestyle fest, but she still brought it with that "If you give me half a chance, I'll rock your world" song.
God bless the Dazz Band (or at least 2 of their singers and 1 drummer who showed up) for doing "Joystick", a song which likens the male sexual organ to a video gaming apparatus. I seriously like this song.
Evelyn "Champagne" King sang 4 songs including "Love Come Down", "Get Loose", and "Shame" while doing these stripper dances that were way too scandalous.
Next was the Sugar Hill Gang, who besides doing "Rapper's Delight" busted out a medley of other people's jams such as Zapp & Roger's "More Bounce to the Ounce" and "The Humpty Dance". And they brought back the call-and-response "SOMEBODY SCREEEEAAM!" shit a dozen times, too.
A show with all 4 Mary Jane Girls was not to be had; instead there was only JoJo (one of the Black girls) and 2 younger White girls. She dedicated her set to the late, great, Rick James and sang the awesome "Candy Man" and "In My House".
Expose was restored to the original trio, and I have to admit they were good even though I like totally hate "Seasons Change".
And last but not least was the headliner, Stevie B. Gone was the Jheri curl mullet/moustache combo, but I still dug "Party Your Body" and Spring Love". It was good to see that he had an actual drummer, keyboardist, and bass player onstage with him, but once he said, "This one's dedicated to all the ladies" and I heard the first strains of the slow jam "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)" it was my cue to leave.