October 21, 2007

Stereogum Does CMJ: The Cool Kids/M.I.A. @ Terminal 5, NYC 10/19/07

Stereogum's Friday night was a mix of hip hop and indie rock, getting started with Abbey's trip to Terminal 5 to take in buzzy Chicago MCs The Cool Kids and M.I.A., while the rest of us ran back and forth between Irving and the Delancey for the Narrator, Cale Parks, Spank Rock, Santogold, Yo Majesty et al. Those posts to come, but first Abbey on her night with world town ambassador M.I.A. at Bowery Presents midtown digs:

"The Cool Kids hopped onstage for a brief set (they're great but their MC skills aren't gonna save the world) ... Then the lights fell and a dictator-esque talking head was projected over multiple screens, with subtitles spewing commands about destruction, elections, and urging that there is no choice left but to abandon this country and start over. Ummm, thanks M.I.A. Then the DJ came out, and the opening beats of "Bamboo Banga" dropped into our laps and the frenzied lovefest that goes with any M.I.A. live show began. That has to be the most brilliant interpretation of the Modern Lover's "Roadrunner" like, ever. She dropped every single gunshot sample, and more, that she was forced to take out of her "Paper Planes" performance on David Letterman a few weeks ago. After the billion audience members who had taken M.I.A. up on her customary invitation to join her onstage had been vanquished back into general admission, she pulled out the best surprise of the night: African Boy. Not everyone was feeling his multiple choruses of 'Whoop There It Is,' but the VBS.tv feature on him totally won us over so we were psyched to see him in the states. It was a spectacular performace and the lights, wardrobe, and visuals all resonated with a rebellious DIY aesthetic-made-good." Scroll for some tight snaps. Nice kicks, Maya.

THE COOL KIDS