I got a message on myspace about a rap show in Brattleboro. Always looking for a chance to perform, I contacted the group that was headlining/hosting the show (Dogbody) and they were cool with me opening.
Short notice but it didn't matter much. The Merry Pranksters and I had just done a set in the woods not even a week before. Well, maybe two weeks. Drunken rapping and losing microphones in the darkness. It's a good thing we had 3 mics set up, afterall. We got the speakers out of there just before the rain came.
But anyway, I went to the Mole's Eye and met with Dogbody. Nice guys. They set up the PA while I grabed a cheeseburger and read Countdown to Final Crisis in the back. They played some Aesop Rock and really mellow Reggae tunes while people slowly came into the bar.
I was told I would go on after Nick (didn't catch his last name). Nick did about 5 songs on guitar. A quiet, thin guy with thick, black-rimmed glasses. He opened with Yer Blues. I feelt silly for not even knowing that the Beatles did that song first, not Dirty Mac. This came out while I was chatting with Nick after his set. He asked me if I play chess. I told him that I did but I suck. I think he wanted to play.
After standing around while a couple songs played in between sets, the emcee announced Humble Among Kings and the beat started. I kicked it off with a new song called "Death's Dance Party". That one always seems to catch them off-guard. But I think they got the joke by the end. Party People.
I did a mix of old and new songs. "Glitz, Glamour, Girls" back-to-back after "You Couldn't Be...". And ended it by sitting down in a chair for "Subterranean Homesick Blues" (the Bob Dylan cover). On the last verse of the song, I stood up. I feelt like they wanted a little bit more, so I did "Still" without a beat. And then threw a selection of Yo MTV raps cards into the crowd after taking my bow.
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