DOOBIE BROTHERS

High Times Tour

by J. Gabriel Boylan

[ TUESDAY, MAY 7 ]

What? You were expecting maybe Widespread Panic or Blues Traveler? Well, they weren't available ... er, forget it; nothing here but some straight serious hip-hop and, yes, probably a lot of rhymes about "trees," "fog" "hydro" and other enigmatic pseudonyms. Smif-N-Wessun had hits with "Bucktown" and "U Da Man" before changing their name to the Cocoa Brovaz and releasing some very "underground"-type work (read: no one bought it), and then promptly changed their name back. What MCs Tek and Steele lack in vocab or wit they make up for with arresting energy and clever rhymes. Buckshot from Black Moon is another of this type, and while Black Moon never managed to get their stoned militancy over the hump of success (save for the jumpy "How Many MCs"), Buckshot does have a knack for Onyx-type thrash-rapping. Non Phixion is sort of like Cannibal Ox lite, all the futuristic posturing backpack hip-hoppers love but without all of the truly terrifying lyrical majesty or beats that sound like your doom. Finally, Afu Ra, Jeru tha Damaja's old protege, is still sporting Jeru-like kung-fu obsessions, Jeru-like Afrocentric politics and a Jeru-like beehive on his noggin. Oh, and High Times just happened to release a CD of their very favorite hip-hop stars recently. It's titled, groaningly enough, THC: The Hip-Hop Collection Vol. 1.
8pm. $15-$17. Theater of Living Arts, 334 South St. 215.336.2000. www.electricfactory.com