Binary Star Shines Twice as Bright

Saturday's Binary Star show got off to a bit of a rocky start. OneBeLo (aka OneManArmy) came out and announced that the duo had once again broken up just moments before the show and that he'd be performing solo. He then launched into the (great) intro track from S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M.. He reiterated that he was serious about the breakup, but his plans to continue the ruse were thwarted as partner Senim Silla came onto the stage. The duo then spent the next hour reminding us why their Masters of the Universe album is regarded by many as a hiphop classic, with moments taken for each member to share some of their solo work as well.

Seattlest, like many in attendance, would have been fine with a OneBeLo solo set. As an MC, OneBeLo's skills are second to none, and his debut album has had more than its fair share of plays. We've also seen him live on multiple occasions, and OneBeLo has a very good grasp of what it means to be an engaging performer. Senim Silla was an unknown, with this marking his first trip to Seattle. Seattle welcomed Senim Silla with open arms, leaving him stunned at times with the response from the crowd, which at points knew the lyrics better than the performers. Other than those rare moments, you'd never know that these two had spent the prior six years broken up over "creative differences." This was definitely a case where the sum was more than its constituent parts, of two stars shining more than twice as bright.

Image by flickr user DLTbluefrog