P.O.S. @ Kilby Court
by Clea Major [bluezeetle@gmail.com]
Online Exclusive / Posted February 25, 2009 More Exclusives
P.O.S.
February 13, 2008
Kilby Court
With Sims, Mike Mictlan and DJ Lazerbeak
I really hope that the next time P.O.S. comes through Salt Lake City, he plays a bigger venue than Kilby Court. That’s not to say that I don’t like Kilby, because everyone loves Kilby and nothing compares to seeing your favorite bands play in an actual garage. But Kilby was more packed this time than I’ve ever seen it, and it seems to me that P.O.S. is popular enough here that he really deserves a bigger stage, if only so that all his fans might actually be able to see him.
Shows at Kilby are unique experiences. When the musician is only a few inches in front of you and the sound guys are only ten feet behind you, it often feels like whomever you’re there to see is a peer rather than a performer. Usually this is a good thing, creating a level of intimacy that can’t be replicated in any other venue, but it works against lesser MCs—if the performer isn’t dynamic enough, it starts to seem like they’re just speaking to you quickly rather than rapping. I arrived halfway through the opener, and maybe I would have been more hooked by Sims (one of of P.O.S.’s crew Doomtree) if I had seen his set from the beginning, but as it happened I was under-whelmed. He was fun enough, bouncing around the stage and engaging the crowd (although it would be more difficult to somehow fail to engage the crowd at a Kilby show). But considering that the place was packed and the kids were already pumped out of their minds, he should’ve been able to come up with more than just a comfortable, mildly pleasant performance.
After Sims left the stage, I tried to make my way up to the front but decided that the garage was way too crowded and annoying to put up with between sets when I could be getting fresh air. Normally I think the more packed a show is the better, but no one at this particular show knew how to move through a crowd. It pisses me off more when someone wants to get in front of me and they say "excuse me" and touch my shoulder, rather than just shoving their way through. Haven’t you ever been to a show before? If you’re going to try and get closer to the front, just shove me aside and then get out of my way again, don’t try to be all polite about it while invading my personal space more than you have to. Standard concert etiquette, man.
So I left my spot to go breathe outside, and thus gave up any chance I might have had of being able to actually see P.O.S. when he eventually took the stage. I could only barely glimpse the next opener, Mike Mictlan, another Doomtree member. DJ Lazerbeak was still spinning, but this time his beats were a little darker and Mictlan’s rhymes and urgent delivery style demanded more of my attention. When Mictlan stopped the beats to launch into spoken word for a minute or two, I actually found myself pretty into it, despite the fact that spoken word interludes usually make me roll my eyes.
February 13, 2008
Kilby Court
With Sims, Mike Mictlan and DJ Lazerbeak
I really hope that the next time P.O.S. comes through Salt Lake City, he plays a bigger venue than Kilby Court. That’s not to say that I don’t like Kilby, because everyone loves Kilby and nothing compares to seeing your favorite bands play in an actual garage. But Kilby was more packed this time than I’ve ever seen it, and it seems to me that P.O.S. is popular enough here that he really deserves a bigger stage, if only so that all his fans might actually be able to see him.
Shows at Kilby are unique experiences. When the musician is only a few inches in front of you and the sound guys are only ten feet behind you, it often feels like whomever you’re there to see is a peer rather than a performer. Usually this is a good thing, creating a level of intimacy that can’t be replicated in any other venue, but it works against lesser MCs—if the performer isn’t dynamic enough, it starts to seem like they’re just speaking to you quickly rather than rapping. I arrived halfway through the opener, and maybe I would have been more hooked by Sims (one of of P.O.S.’s crew Doomtree) if I had seen his set from the beginning, but as it happened I was under-whelmed. He was fun enough, bouncing around the stage and engaging the crowd (although it would be more difficult to somehow fail to engage the crowd at a Kilby show). But considering that the place was packed and the kids were already pumped out of their minds, he should’ve been able to come up with more than just a comfortable, mildly pleasant performance.
After Sims left the stage, I tried to make my way up to the front but decided that the garage was way too crowded and annoying to put up with between sets when I could be getting fresh air. Normally I think the more packed a show is the better, but no one at this particular show knew how to move through a crowd. It pisses me off more when someone wants to get in front of me and they say "excuse me" and touch my shoulder, rather than just shoving their way through. Haven’t you ever been to a show before? If you’re going to try and get closer to the front, just shove me aside and then get out of my way again, don’t try to be all polite about it while invading my personal space more than you have to. Standard concert etiquette, man.
So I left my spot to go breathe outside, and thus gave up any chance I might have had of being able to actually see P.O.S. when he eventually took the stage. I could only barely glimpse the next opener, Mike Mictlan, another Doomtree member. DJ Lazerbeak was still spinning, but this time his beats were a little darker and Mictlan’s rhymes and urgent delivery style demanded more of my attention. When Mictlan stopped the beats to launch into spoken word for a minute or two, I actually found myself pretty into it, despite the fact that spoken word interludes usually make me roll my eyes.
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