ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

Alright I'm going to do my best here, as once I got into double digit drinks + pot my memory got fuzzy. This show was insanity. We got there around 2pm and it was [censored] pouring, POURING. The rain was the heaviest for Mos Def and Talib Kweli, and it was really getting annoying. Mos and Kweli killed it, sometimes its annoying to me personally when they go acapella with some random verse they just wrote, I want to hear the [censored] that I know, I thought Mos was going to end with Travellin' Man but he only sang the chorus. They did do Definition and the Definition remix (the one with black thought) with new verses for 07, that was truly sick. But I'm rambling.

Rakim was up next, and I didnt catch much of it to be honest, I know hes a legend [censored] kinda boring to me though, I started listening to rap when i was in 5th grade, taht was around dre/wu tang etc. so I can't appreciate him as much. Around now the rain started to let up, and we celebrated by getting [censored] up. By now it was muddy as all hell and hippies were sliding down hills like it was a slip and slide, that was enjoyable to watch, a few ppl really got [censored] up. there was a mini mud pit with a bunch of dudes wrestling, no girls so i didnt bother watching or taking pictures.

Somebody recommend me some Atmosphere albums to buy from Itunes cause this guy absolutely killed it on stage with Murs, one of the only other underground guys I listen to. They both have great stage prescence and all around shows for hiphop artists. They were on the small stage, after them MF Doom came on and absolutely destroyed it, I always find that I like the smaller stage shows more, I think I missed cypress hill when I was at the smaller stage. Again though, I wish he would have done some [censored] from Doomsday bc I spend more time nowadays listening to lil wayne than mf doom. The one underground artist i missed seeing was Cage, the crazy whiteboy rapper. He brings a ton of energy and the crowd looked riled up so I'm disapointed that I didnt go over and instead went to Mos and Kweli.

Wu Tang was incredible. Did all the old [censored], they played ODB's verses when he was supposed to be up and the crowd knew most of the lyrics, they hardly cut any songs short which also was awesome. They performed Triumph, Cream, Shame on a [censored], Wu Wear, Incarcerated Scarfaces from Raekwon's album, so much good stuff.

Rage came on last, and i dont know a thing about them, they did a couple of encores, they were cool even though I didnt know their music. they got a cool sound ill probably pick up an album of theirs.

all in all a great show and a lot of fun, crowd was like 85% white (i won a sidebet on that), and there was like no serious fighting which surprised me because it was basically a free for all once inside randalls island. now a couple of pics:

http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/phot...58491_3426.jpg

http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/phot...58496_4850.jpg

http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/phot...58492_3710.jpg

http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/phot...358479_195.jpg

http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/phot...58497_5116.jpg

http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/phot...58505_7234.jpg

http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/phot...58484_1551.jpg

I did my best w/ the pics but its a pain in the ass to keep taking the camera out especially when its so [censored] out. im the guy in the white shirt. probably forgot some stuff but it was a blast and ill definitely go back.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

You'll definitely go back?

Wasn't this just like a one time concert deal? Or is Rock The Bells a yearly festival?

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
You'll definitely go back?

Wasn't this just like a one time concert deal? Or is Rock The Bells a yearly festival?

[/ QUOTE ]

I meant I'd definitely go back to Randals Island the venue is a ton of fun. Yeah it was a one time thing

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]

Rage came on last, and i dont know a thing about them, they did a couple of encores, they were cool even though I didnt know their music. they got a cool sound ill probably pick up an album of theirs.


[/ QUOTE ]

Head assssplode.....

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

*sigh*

I'm so retarded for not going to this. Also...

[ QUOTE ]
Somebody recommend me some Atmosphere albums to buy from Itunes cause this guy absolutely killed it on stage with Murs, one of the only other underground guys I listen to.

[/ QUOTE ]

You really can't go wrong with any of Atmosphere's albums, but 'God Loves Ugly' is my personal favorite.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

from ohword.com, a picture of the crowd.

http://www.ohword.com/images/682.gif

HIP-HOP LIVES!!

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You'll definitely go back?

Wasn't this just like a one time concert deal? Or is Rock The Bells a yearly festival?

[/ QUOTE ]

I meant I'd definitely go back to Randals Island the venue is a ton of fun. Yeah it was a one time thing

[/ QUOTE ]

Randalls sucks [censored]

I was there on Sat, Balls hot, they got rid of the Stadium seating . The funniest part is that its almost 100% white kids I've seen more of a mix of people at a Phish cocnert

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

This sounds like the whitest hiphop show since Vanilla Ice.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

newsflash: white people like rap

newsflash: black people dont listen to underground rap

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
This sounds like the whitest hiphop show since Vanilla Ice.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah cause Wu Tang, Rakim, and Public Enemy just scream whitey!

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
*sigh*

I'm so retarded for not going to this. Also...

[ QUOTE ]
Somebody recommend me some Atmosphere albums to buy from Itunes cause this guy absolutely killed it on stage with Murs, one of the only other underground guys I listen to.

[/ QUOTE ]

You really can't go wrong with any of Atmosphere's albums, but 'God Loves Ugly' is my personal favorite.

[/ QUOTE ]

Most Atmosphere fans would strong disagree.

Lucy Ford > Overcast >>> God Loves Ugly > You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having >>> 7's Travels.

There's a ton of b-side stuff, mostly under the heading of Sad Clown Bad Dub (insert various numbers here). The newest one is Sad Clown Bad Summer.

Buy their stuff here: http://www.fifthelementonline.com/ (this is Slug's record store)

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

Wu really killed it, but for some reason Ghost was not there (although they he was on saturday). One of my favorite parts of the day was Scott Ian from Antrhax (who I've never heard and don't like at all), came out and rocked with PE for a song. Not sure why but I liked it a lot.

I was pretty close (near the gate that surrounded all the security) when rage came on and it really was nuts. It was fun for one song, and then I began to feel unsafe, I was completely at the will of the crowd, I could not do that for a whole hour.

For me it went Wu > PE > Cypress > Rakim > Blackstar.

I agree with Dids review of Atmosphere albums for what its worth.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
One of my favorite parts of the day was Scott Ian from Antrhax (who I've never heard and don't like at all), came out and rocked with PE for a song. Not sure why but I liked it a lot.

[/ QUOTE ]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NoLkaGcpJFA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bring_the_Noise

That is why.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

BTW, I just saw that they put MF Doom's first album on I-Tunes (Doomsday). Its been in and out of print for several years, its a must have for rap fans.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
newsflash: white people like rap

newsflash: black people dont listen to underground rap

[/ QUOTE ]

I think RATM is a big reason why the crowd was so white.

Those of you that went, what did you think of Hangar 18?

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
Rage came on last, and i dont know a thing about them, they did a couple of encores, they were cool even though I didnt know their music. they got a cool sound ill probably pick up an album of theirs.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is one of the saddest things I've read on OOT in awhile. Rage is why the tickets were so much more expensive this year. Past years the tickets ran around $40ish.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
newsflash: white people like rap

newsflash: black people dont listen to underground rap

[/ QUOTE ]

I think RATM is a big reason why the crowd was so white.

Those of you that went, what did you think of Hangar 18?

[/ QUOTE ]

Dids

I made sure to show up after Pharoh Monch or whatever hisname is so all I saw was
EPMD (meh)
Roots (A+)
PE (A+)
Mos Def (answer hazy in pot smoke please try again later)
Cypress Hill (B)
Wu Tang (A-)
Rage (A+)


also please add me to white kids going to see Rage group in general I don't like (re :h8) hip hop

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

killa,

what do you have against Pharaohe Monch? I've been listening to his new album (Desire) recently, and it really isn't that bad, although it doesn't really have an old school hip-hop feel to it and perhaps that is what you enjoy.

It kind of reminds me of Obie Trice actually, very similar flow and voice.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
killa,

what do you have against Pharaohe Monch? I've been listening to his new album (Desire) recently, and it really isn't that bad, although it doesn't really have an old school hip-hop feel to it and perhaps that is what you enjoy.

It kind of reminds me of Obie Trice actually, very similar flow and voice.

[/ QUOTE ]

kipin , I be white guy there for rage I heard of him before the Yest but only the one Get the F up song. The acts I scored were really the only ones i wanted to see

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

OK nice, at least you did better than my idiot stoner friends who got to NYC from DC as Rage was playing and I talked to them and they were like "Ya we just got to NYC we're going to Rock the Bells! Rage is on right now and I can hear them in the parking lot!"

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
newsflash: white people like rap

newsflash: black people dont listen to underground rap

[/ QUOTE ]
What was it about my post that made you think I didn't know either or both of these things?

FWIW, I would have loved to go to this. I am also incredibly white.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

i got a call at the last minute to go to the sunday show for free, i got there in time for wu-tang and rage. i really didn't think wu-tang killed it at all and i'm a big fan. a couple of songs were sick but in general it sounded kinda ragged to me and i was pissed ghost wasn't there obv. overall very disappointing.

i also hate huge crowds and not only was this thing like 90% white high schoolers as somebody mentioned, but it was basically like a douchenozzle yard sale, you had your roided up frat boy dicklickers, your retarded westchester high school gangstas, your idiot upstate hillbillies that were just there for rage and boo'd every other act, etc.

by the time we got there it was totally filthy, there was [censored] everywhere and it smelled like a potent mix of piss and garbage, and people were just pushing up against us or past us while wu played trying to get closer to the front, getting all huffy when i didn't step out of their way, like it's my duty to make room for you because you had to go pound five amstel lights during the set change and you still want to stand in the front and grope chicks who crowdsurf and boo all the rap acts so you can see rage. wtf.

rage of course killed it and sounded awesome, they played a lot of stuff off the first two albums which i appreciated, especially early in the set. i tried to take some videos with my phone but i was so close that they just sound terrible, if anybody is good with that kind of thing i can send them to you but i doubt it will do any good. i was really hoping for them to bring out chuck d or somebody from wu tang for the encore but they didn't. only really great song that i was hoping for but didn't hear was 'wake up.'

overall rage was awesome but i'm glad i didn't pay for it, probably because i'm just such a cynic and a cranky old bastard that i hate this kind of huge show no matter what. i think wu-tang would have been more fun in a different setting too.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
i think wu-tang would have been more fun in a different setting too.

[/ QUOTE ]

I saw Wu Tang in Worcester two years ago, in the Palladium which holds <1000 people, and it was much much better than the time I saw them at a huge venue.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
Antrhax (who I've never heard and don't like at all

[/ QUOTE ]

At least you came to the show w/ an open mind.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

Glad to hear the good reports for my boy MF DOOM (remember, ALL CAPS!) I hope there's some vid out there.

And for those wondering, I'd venture that 90% of all hip hop shows are 90% white.

Black people are poor.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
Most Atmosphere fans would strong disagree.

Lucy Ford > Overcast >>> God Loves Ugly > You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having >>> 7's Travels.



[/ QUOTE ]

Although I'm really partial to 'Between the Lines' on Lucy Ford, I still like God Loves Ugly more. IMO, it features some of Ant's best producing, most notibly 'Shrapnel'.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

atmosphere sucks balls and i'm glad i didn't see them

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
*sigh*

I'm so retarded for not going to this. Also...

[ QUOTE ]
Somebody recommend me some Atmosphere albums to buy from Itunes cause this guy absolutely killed it on stage with Murs, one of the only other underground guys I listen to.

[/ QUOTE ]

You really can't go wrong with any of Atmosphere's albums, but 'God Loves Ugly' is my personal favorite.

[/ QUOTE ]

Most Atmosphere fans would strong disagree.

Lucy Ford > Overcast >>> God Loves Ugly > You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having >>> 7's Travels.

There's a ton of b-side stuff, mostly under the heading of Sad Clown Bad Dub (insert various numbers here). The newest one is Sad Clown Bad Summer.

Buy their stuff here: http://www.fifthelementonline.com/ (this is Slug's record store)

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't miss out on "Trying to find a Balance". The rest of 7's travels sucks though.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

wish i had seen you mikey ,was there....for me it was like

rage, cypress, wu tang , pe

didn't catch the small stage at all and guess i missed out on some stuff.

for rage i was 30---12 rows deep and it was relatively safe. i saw rage at woodstock in 2k and was 3 rows from stage and that was the only time i ever feltreally unsafe at a show.
The feeling of being pressed from the front and the back and just moving your feet to stay upright really is terrifying.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
or rage i was 30---12 rows deep and it was relatively safe. i saw rage at woodstock in 2k and was 3 rows from stage and that was the only time i ever feltreally unsafe at a show.
The feeling of being pressed from the front and the back and just moving your feet to stay upright really is terrifying.

[/ QUOTE ]

it was as bad right at the front as i've seen it, i stuck around through 6 songs or so and then surfed over the fence and walked to the back. it's really not that great being all the way at the front in a venue this huge, because they're still pretty freakin far away and it's so ridic loud

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
or rage i was 30---12 rows deep and it was relatively safe. i saw rage at woodstock in 2k and was 3 rows from stage and that was the only time i ever feltreally unsafe at a show.
The feeling of being pressed from the front and the back and just moving your feet to stay upright really is terrifying.

[/ QUOTE ]

it was as bad right at the front as i've seen it, i stuck around through 6 songs or so and then surfed over the fence and walked to the back. it's really not that great being all the way at the front in a venue this huge, because they're still pretty freakin far away and it's so ridic loud

[/ QUOTE ]

woodstock was waaaaay worse- i seriously almost died. i spent the entire day working my way through 90-100k people towards the front of the stage for rage...in 100 degree heat on an airport runway. i was dehydrated and could see myself falling down and just getting stomped to oblivion.

it wasn't comfortable at randall's for sure, but i've experienced worse for sure.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

yeah i am not a big concert guy, most of my experience with hazardous crowds is more of the really-drunk-kids-and-skinheads at H20 shows throwing elbows variety. so 'as bad as i've seen it' is probably not as bad as you've seen it, but there were definitely some big, strong dudes crying uncle in there.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

Rage was completely insane. Zach is by far the most electrifying frontman for any band. He was crouching down resting during slower instrumentals and intros and then would literally explode with energy going absolutely [censored] nuts, it was insane to see. The venue was AWFUL, especially with the rain. The whole area was flooded with mud and sewage, it was completely [censored] disgusting. I got there for Black Star, who absolutely killed it. Rakim was a disappointment. PE was amazing. Cypress Hill was cool, but have seen them before and they were not as good as last time. Wu was solid but underwhelming IMO, was a good show but could have been great. Pretty pissed I missed MF Doom, Atmosphere and Sage Francis on the smaller stage, but w/e.

As I said, Rage was amazing. Particularly insane were Testify, Guerilla Radio, and Killing in the Name. Tom is such a completely insane guitarist. I never knew their bass player was as good as he was too, since he is pretty overwhelmed by Tom/Zach's famousness. But there was a pretty incredible bass solo which blew my mind.

Also, the 5 blunts w/ opium helped. Holy [censored] there was a lot of blunts in the crowd.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

I posted my TR for sat in the other thread, pretty much my thoughts are echoed here.

Those who were there on sunday, did they run out of bottled water again?

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

[ QUOTE ]
I posted my TR for sat in the other thread, pretty much my thoughts are echoed here.

Those who were there on sunday, did they run out of bottled water again?

[/ QUOTE ]

no, they were throwing it out into the crowd throughout. when i surfed out of the pit they gave me a bottle as i walked out.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

did they get the sound right on sunday? it was pretty bad for the saturday show.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

I was there for the Sunday show. I'm surprised no one mentioned Rahzel basically mc'ing the main stage. Not that I'm an authority on hip-hop or anything but I thought this was one of the most entertaining parts. His freestyles were great and interactive, and obv his beatboxing skills are sweet too.

We showed up late obviously because we suck at life and basically didn't see anything of the entire park/shows except for cypress, PE, Wu and Rage.

One of the most hilarious/ridiculous things I thought was Flava Flav (obviously) spouting some ridiculous [censored] about racism and his flava of love tv shows. He literally took time out of PE's set to thank the crowd for supporting Flava of Love season one and for making Flava of Love season two one of the highest rated cable shows of all time - word for word. I mean it was funny, but also a little sad.

Imo Wu straight up killed it, although it would have been hard to disappoint me as they are basically my favorite rap act. I was happy to see meth up there taking charge and giving respect to ODB with shimmy shimmy ya, but was upset that my favorite member, ghostface, didn't make it. I actually assumed Meth wouldn't be there, but never assumed ghost wouldn't

As stated rage destroyed the place. I mean, even if you don't like their politics, sound, anything, you just have to love their energy and stage presence. And they got their song list right imo, basically playing through their first album (except know your enemy wtf?) and rarely straying from their more mainstream songs. Tom is definitely the most impressive guitarist I've ever seen live and Zach is just in a class of his own.

Re: ROCK THE BELLS 7/29 - TR
 

i gotta that seeing flava flav dance was a highlight of the day for me- as stupid as it is. One of the first tapes i bought when i was a kid was PE, and i remember videos of him doing the right hand twisting jab followed by the left hand twisting jab- it was absolutely hillarious to see in person.