LA at this point should be recognized as the foremost venue for live music on any given night in the United States. For all the negatives about the art and entertainment industries responsible for much of the industry in the city, the gauntlet ensures that new artists are constantly coming up out of LA battle tested. A big part of that battle testing is the monstrous venue circuit, spanning from the smallest rooms in the Arts District and Silverlake, all the way to Novo and the legendary Hollywood Bowl. Any given night you could see an act that would rock a small town, but seemingly passes noiselessly through this city. Last night, that show was Dr. Octagon at the Belasco.
The show began with an extended comedy monologue before the introduction of the Handsome Boy’s Modeling School. They played a few short songs in a DJ set before inviting up two members from the audience who claimed they could rap, though for some reason no raps were exchanged for a long time. Rather it turned into a roast of one of the volunteers. The crowd felt restless after a wait that was already too long followed by many long pauses in the music itself. When it was playing, it was in short, club style bursts, no doubt to the chagrin of the countless old heads who were here to see some classic rapping over stellar live mixing. Once they finally handed off the mic to the two rappers onstage (two different ones than earlier) they did it a capella style, which always comes off slightly awkward and certainly didn’t do much to propel the energy of the crowd forward. As far as openings go, this could have gone better, especially considering there had been almost no music since the set started. Though they did bring out their own “handsome boy rap champion,” the whole thing ended up being a visual gag as to who could make the best wrap using a tortilla and some ingredients. This did actually turn some of the crowd to their side due to the sheer ridiculousness of the situation, though one wondered how long this could continue for. Luckily it wasn’t long before the lights went up and the wait for Dr. Octagon began.
By the time they took the stage, the crowd’s notable restlessness seemingly melted away into a frenzy of excitement. Cheers echoed off the extravagant facade of the venue, practically shaking the very foundation of the building. The crew owned the venue with a veteran’s confidence, performing songs like “Earth People,” “Bear Witness” and a few new songs from their upcoming album Moosebumps to great fanfare. Dan the Automator was a massive standout with his incredible beat making, showcasing the excellent mind he exhibited in classics like Deltron 3030. Though as incredible as Dan was, DJ Qbert and his turntables were the highlight of the night. Turn-tabling is quickly becoming a lost art and seeing someone do it live and do it well is an absolute treat.
The bass system in the Belasco was working harder than it may have ever worked before, rattling walls and chest cavities alike. The crowd, of course, clamored for more 808 at every possible turn. It was a wonder that the crowd could even keep their energy level up, and an even greater achievement that Dr. Octagon could keep them there after so many delays and setbacks. The effect of this was clearly noticeable on the crowd sadly, they grew tired much earlier in the set than is typical, though that’s understandable considering many of them had just waded through two and a half hours of virtual nothingness. The lighting effects were minimal, though they did utilize a screen at the back to provide visuals that frequently involved naked or near naked women, though primarily for comedic effect rather than arousal. The live instrumentation was standout, the costumes and the stories of the show were memorable and exciting, and the new songs they played were quite possibly better than their already incredible catalog. The crowd was engaged once the festivities finally started, and the live mixing couldn’t have been better. All in all, it was a classic instrumental hip-hop experience driven almost solely by the performance itself rather than the elements surrounding it.
LA is not an easy city to compete for attention. Being a genre legend may as well mean nothing. While Dr. Octagon put on a solid performance, the incredible wait time at the beginning, coupled with a second absurd wait after a lackluster opener made this show fall short of the mark. Dr. Octagon may be worth seeing, but anyone considering attending another one of their shows should look into arriving late, very late.
Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat
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