thugs on the beach

Thuggage @ Dirty Dirty Street Records, Saturday Februrary 20th.

I like to think I know music but I do know I’m new to the scene. For me the scene means sharing the love of music. As of today, I simply listen a lot but am looking for ways to get outta the house... to experience all this with other folks. But before I get to last Saturday night's show I wanna mention something.

So its no news that traditional media are slipping. Reporters getting fired means less real reporting means more storytelling: invoking proven formulas full of cliches, exaggerated conflict – whatever hooks. Its bullshit. So then the nice thing about blogs is that in theory, passion powers them. You think I get paid for this shit?

Passion can be love, and I mention this because last night there was real love in the room at the Dirty Dirty Street Records show. Which of course is the case at a lot of shows but this was interesting. First the audience: I don’t know the specifics, but their were plenty of members past and present of a particular Oregon commune… and you could sure feel the community. A lot of smiles and kind conversations, and I even danced (with somebody else too!) for the first time in a long time. As an outsider to a rather intimate event I was impressed and somewhat touched.

It proved unfortunate that I was so late to the show. I lose track of time often, but this night I lost an additional hour walking around the hell-hole that is Jantzen Beach (though that link is worth a look, and Merry-Go-Rounds are nice). I couldn’t stay long and the only band I got to see start to finish was Thuggage.

I’m a few years from 40 but I remember being 12, frozen where i stood watching BET and witnessing Run DMC’s video, “King of Rock.” Rap then slammed my soul and has permanently affected not only the music I love most (rhythm driven) but also how I speak. Metaphors are so good at simplifying complex concepts and rap does that for me like nothing else.

Go see Thuggage - they may be young but they put in the work and thus make the end result look so sleepy easy. The front-man stood large the minute I walked in the room, and his backbone band mate appears to be a wizard. They hemorrhage style and grace.

That’s all I’m gonna say and if you’re a bit put off by my lack of description, check this photo. That's me and my good friend from college in our dorm room... all dressed up for Halloween. It was done in fun of course but does it look like we’re fucking around?

Look at his eyes - you can’t see mine through the Vuarnets (snap) but you can see his. To this day, whenever we talk we almost always start the conversation with a silly rap but its no joke. And so I have no problem slapping up this most cherished personal memory to endorse a band i just met. Just trust. Thuggage.

You can hear them here but again go find them. There's a decent rumor snoopDogg has knocked their door.

Thanks for the love Dirty Dirty Street and friends, and it’d be neat to see you at the next show dear reader. Unless you’re a dick.

Peace & here's to less grease and more love,

karllos

p.s. This is my first blog post so bear with me & if you would, send feedback… I’m a bit new to this type of writing and am certainly rusty.