Disc jockey
n : a person who announces and plays popular recorded music
Unfortunately, this definition fails to capture the talents and utter magic behind the musical melding of DJ Shadow. The Northern California native is more than a beat juggling-scratching guru. He is a musician in every sense of the word. When he took the stage at the TLA last Monday, in front of a sold out crowd, it was clear this man expands the definition of DJ every time he performs.
The crowd was treated to a surprise opening performances by some of underground hip hop's finest, including turntablist RJD2, and MC's Mr. Lif and Akrobatik, all from the Def Jux camp. After several minutes of RJD2's eclectic blends, Lif came out to bless the crowd with his delicious offerings. With Akrobatik in the background, Lif captured the crowd, who even with being somewhat unfamiliar with his material, and rocked the house with powerful verses and commanding stage presence. He closed with his controversial "Home of the Brave" in a cappella, and his political commentary was dug by all.
Then a non-chalant DJ Shadow took the stage, and an attentive crowd ate up every word of his humble introduction. After a ten-minute movie short by his friend B+, which featured several jazz musicians playing alongside of today's top hip hop DJ's, the main portion of the show began. With a continuous backdrop of movie clips and still photographs moving in sync with his scratches and musical movements, this show was an awesome audio and visual experience. In his first act, he played songs from his newest CD Private Press, and brought the tracks to life with new mixes and scratches. While not overly experimental, he definitely brought out the best of the material. After teasing the crowd with a staged early exit, he came back on, with a drummer in tow and unleashed the most spontaneous and explosive portion of the show. Together the two jammed out, and electrified the audience with intricate jazzy breaks. Ending with some of his classics, like "Midnight in Perfect World," Shadow was larger than life to this enamored crowd. When he thanked the crowd for being so supportive, it was clear the love was reciprocal. This was in fact an event for the music enthusiasts as Shadow delivered true musical mastery to Philly, and it made for one hell of a funky night.
