We Review: Saigon @ Neumos
Saigon descended upon Neumos Wednesday night in true East Coast style, backed by three hype-men, two photographers, one DJ, and for awhile two dancing "homegirls". (Yes, his shirt did come off for a brief moment, and we did get to see those famous bulging arm muscles.) A sparse but expectant crowd watched as the New York rapper and his posse blew through an aggressive set that included the extra-tight club favorite "C'mon Baby" dropped at the stroke of midnight, and "My Favorite Things," a funny exercise in calculated OG optimism.
It was a great live show. So what if the house wasn't full? "I need the people to feel the music," Saigon ordered the crowd. For Seattle's show, he informed us, "I even got my motherfucking hair done." We walked away satisfied but not particularly inspired, although Saigon himself put out the caveat that it was his first show in months.
Perhaps it was just that Saigon seemed fancier and colder than we're used to. Pearly stretch limo dominating the grungy corner of 10th and Pine? Check. Costume changes? Check. Snarls and alpha-male grabs for the mic on stage? Double check, and where did that even come from? Maybe it was a joke, but it came across as just kinda pissy. Regardless, it was a far cry from the all-embracing family-style hiphop Seattle is loving right now. We're not complaining -- shows like this keep the scene fresh, and it takes all kinds -- but Saigon's music didn't hit anywhere close to our 206 heart. And despite Saigon's big reputation, ostentatious month-long advertising on 206proof.com, and a recommendation from The Stranger, the Saigon/Cancer Rising/Dyme Def show was less than packed with less than awake fans.
We enjoyed Dyme Def's predictably sleek set. "I'm not usually a hiphop fan and I actually really like them," said Evan the sound guy. The guys are getting so pro it's no wonder they've broken into KUBE's rotations. Cancer Rising's fun performance involved a goofy neon-clad dancer and lots of yelling along with the quality tracks from their self-titled 2007 release, and they too are getting some consistent love from the radio (KEXP, in their case). For more on Saigon, check out this Saigon interview with Soul Gorilla (which brought you the Saigon show) and take some time to descend into the Yardfather's mixtapes.
2008, thank you for finally stepping your game up. Hiphop's just as much about the listeners as it is about the performers, as Wednesday night's uninspiring show demonstrated, so Seattle: get your sunshiney self out to these shows!
Saigon! Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images
