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Even back in 2009, I wouldn’t cover Winter shows… but as a favor to Lara, I ended up covering this K’Naan show at the Varsity Theater (originally booked at the Cedar Cultural Center). Since it was an all-ages show, security was extra tight that night.
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As you know, I don't know really go outside during the Winter. Since Lara had a conflict on this date, she asked me to cover the show for her. I didn't check when I agreed to it, but apparently this was an all-ages show. It was also moved from the Cedar Cultural Center to the Varsity (all of this was news to me on the date of the show), which required some adjusting on leaving for the venue early. I was also padded down for weapons & booze, which I hadn't experienced since the Jet show in Chicago - so it's rare for me to attend these tight security shows.
The bands were late on appearing on stage, however, the good thing was that between the two warm-up local Minneapolis bands, M.anifest, that they were lightweight when it came to setup. There was no intermission or wait time between the two bands, since both bands only required a DJ.
M.anifest were pretty rootsy when it came to African beats and lyrics - and since half of the audience were white suburban kids - I think it was hard for them to relate. Muja Messiah was more politically-charged, with gangster rap elements, that the audience seem to like. Highlight of Messiah was during the song "Rebel", M.anifest showed up as guest singer and when he shouted out "I survived the Bush era".
Okay, before we get to K'Naan (pronounced "kay-non"), I have to setup something: he's Somalian. Why this is important is because St Paul/Minneapolis has a huge Somalian population - most of them fleeing their country in the early 90s when civil war broke out in the country. Much like the Hmongs that came to St Paul, seeking job opportunities, so did the Somalians.
So, I would reckon most of the audience there for K'Naan was of Somalian descendant, which I think is really cool looking at the really great turnout of the show.
The audience reacted well to the faster songs like "Soobax" and "If Rap Gets Jealous" as well as the final song, "Waving Flag" (which all the audience seem to know all the lyrics).
However, my personal highlight was seeing them do a Coldplay cover, "Viva La Vida", with its 'biblical' lyrics of "I used to rule the world/Seas would rise when I gave the word".
PS, everyone who's attended the show was given the opportunity to get a signed poster from K'Naan if you pre-order his album. Plus, you're given a 3-track promo CD featuring a 'making of' and three songs from the fourth-coming album called Troubadour which comes out on February 24th on A&M/Octone Records.
>>>
As you know, I don't know really go outside during the Winter. Since Lara had a conflict on this date, she asked me to cover the show for her. I didn't check when I agreed to it, but apparently this was an all-ages show. It was also moved from the Cedar Cultural Center to the Varsity (all of this was news to me on the date of the show), which required some adjusting on leaving for the venue early. I was also padded down for weapons & booze, which I hadn't experienced since the Jet show in Chicago - so it's rare for me to attend these tight security shows.
The bands were late on appearing on stage, however, the good thing was that between the two warm-up local Minneapolis bands, M.anifest, that they were lightweight when it came to setup. There was no intermission or wait time between the two bands, since both bands only required a DJ.
M.anifest were pretty rootsy when it came to African beats and lyrics - and since half of the audience were white suburban kids - I think it was hard for them to relate. Muja Messiah was more politically-charged, with gangster rap elements, that the audience seem to like. Highlight of Messiah was during the song "Rebel", M.anifest showed up as guest singer and when he shouted out "I survived the Bush era".
Okay, before we get to K'Naan (pronounced "kay-non"), I have to setup something: he's Somalian. Why this is important is because St Paul/Minneapolis has a huge Somalian population - most of them fleeing their country in the early 90s when civil war broke out in the country. Much like the Hmongs that came to St Paul, seeking job opportunities, so did the Somalians.
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Setlist
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The audience reacted well to the faster songs like "Soobax" and "If Rap Gets Jealous" as well as the final song, "Waving Flag" (which all the audience seem to know all the lyrics).
However, my personal highlight was seeing them do a Coldplay cover, "Viva La Vida", with its 'biblical' lyrics of "I used to rule the world/Seas would rise when I gave the word".
PS, everyone who's attended the show was given the opportunity to get a signed poster from K'Naan if you pre-order his album. Plus, you're given a 3-track promo CD featuring a 'making of' and three songs from the fourth-coming album called Troubadour which comes out on February 24th on A&M/Octone Records.
K'Naan at the Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (11 Feb 2009) |
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