Previously Unreleased

This is a series in which I will write about the best and worst of a wide range of topics. This week it’s Best and Worst Live Performances of 2007.

Best Live Performance MOS DEF “Black Radio” at the Highline Ballroom NYC May 26 2007

Arriving at the Highline Ballroom, I was excited but unsure what to expect from the show titled “Black Radio” but my apprehension was relieved immediately when Mos Def was welcomed onstage by an entire horn section. I knew this was going to be a different type of show and by the time the night was out, I knew I had witnessed a one of a kind performance. Throughout the first half of the show, Mos peppered the crowd with covers ranging from fun (Bell Biv Devoe’s “Poison”) to soulful (Stevie Wonder’s “Too High”) to sexy (Prince’s “If I Was Your Girlfriend” on which he dueted with Alice Smith) which were surprisingly well received by the crowd (even though it was laughable that the majority of the crowd went silent when prodded by Mos to sing along to “Poison”). Most of the crowd seemed to finally get what they were expecting when Mos’ Black Star partner Talib Kweli joined him onstage and the two of them blew through “Respiration” and “Definition” but the crowd excitement jumped to a whole different level once Q-Tip (looking strangely similar to Lou Bega in his panama beach wear) joined the party. The three then collaborated on Tribe’s “Check The Rhime” before Kweli and Tip left Mos to finish out the show with his “Napoleon’s Dynamite” and signature composition “UMI Says”. The show concluded with a spirited encore which saw Mos and Kweli trade verses on Kweli’s “Just to Get By”. By changing it up and not just doing a greatest hits set list favored by so many artists, Mos Def delivered a show that will not soon be forgotten by anyone lucky enough to be “rockin’ with the best” on that night in lower Manhattan.

Honorable Mentions: The Killers at Austin City Limits, Kaiser Chiefs at Beacon Theatre, Regina Spektor at Austin City Limits, Cypress Hill at Rock The Bells, Butch Walker and the Let’s Go Out Tonites at Austin City Limits and Jack’s Mannequin at Bamboozle Festival

Worst Live Performance M.I.A. at Austin City Limits Festival, Austin TX September 14th 2007

After discovering the album “Kala” to be a personal favorite, I had high hopes for the performance on the first day of the ACL Festival, unfortunately those hopes were dashed almost immediately once M.I.A. took the stage. Joined by a backup dancer who became an instant distraction, sound that was less than stellar and what seemed to be an obvious disconnect between the artist and the crowd, M.I.A. was completely unable to translate the freshness and fun of her recording to the live stage. After only a few songs, I found myself echoing the sentiments of the couple in front of me who muttered “We are missing LCD Soundsystem for this???” and it was only a few minutes more before I called it quits and headed over to see what turned out to be one of the better performances that afternoon.

Dishonorable Mentions: They Might Be Giants at Bowery Ballroom, Jedi Mind Tricks at Bamboozle Festival, Arctic Monkeys at Austin City Limits, Stephen Marley at B.B. King’s and Slayer at Roseland.