The tour & it's big red branded bus is sponsored by the video game 2K sports and the whole thing was a first class production. Following the sucess of the animated Gorillaz project, the Automator's latest deal has tie ins including the Automator's production of the latest NBA game soundtrack, 2 albums (one with guest rappers & of course my fave, the instrumentals...)
Oh and in the video game, with it's hyper realistic graphics, Dan The Automator appears in "NBA 2K7" as a playable character.
Dan The Automator w/ E40 & San Quinn - Baller Blockin'
from the Y2k7 Instrumental disc, with some scratch skills on display in the cut
Dan The Automator - Fade Away Instrumental
Twas a packed house, at SF's Mezzanine, with hundreds of hip hop heads enjoying an opening set from Seattle's Common Market. I missed the Rondo Bros. apparently, and woulda liked to have seen what that was all about. I've enjoyed some of the remix work they've done.
As for the full Automator experience... it was never off, just not always on.
It was only the 2nd show of a 13 show west coast run with this lineup... but it was an overall great experience, sort of a live mixtape of sorts...
Amidst the chaos of all the musicians & rappers, The Automator his bad self was chill & relaxed before the show, enjoying a glass of wine on the couches in the backstage ...
He had assembled a combo of white boys in black suits, and for indie dork cred backing band leader Jim Greer of the Rondo Bros. of course wore wack white sneaks...
Greer is a folksy, ex-college radio DJ dude originally outta New Hampshire that has become one of the Automator's main "go to" guys in the Bay Area. The cat has joined Nakamura on many projects in the studio and live including Deltron 3030 with Del, Dr. Octagon with Kool Keith, Handsome Boy Modeling School with Prince Paul and Lovage with Mike Patton.
Amongst the folks Greer and crew were backing onstage were Chali 2na from Jurassic 5, Casual and Domino from Hieroglyphics and AG from DITC.
Oh and there was some bearded sorta semi heavy hindu-tallica hippie cat named Gavin from some San Jose major label "nu metal" concept act called Dredg. All I know is I couldn't really hear him...
The MC's were lively and ran the stage when they were up. Occasionally Nakamura would venture out from behind the turntables and flaunt a beatbox or meekly use the mic. I was surprised how few funky moves a guy who once ran a "A Handsome Boy Modeling School" had. I think the Automator might need to learn the robot...
But he's a sweet fella, and is definitely running things... so who cares if he can mambo or stalk the stage in a rage...
he' up to a whole lot more than basic bragging & dick wagging these days...
Some more audio Automator moments for y'all...
Automator does Depeche Mode - Only When I Lose Myself
Here's for those of you not paying attention last week week of The Automator's holiday remix of Dean Martin doing Jingle Bells
Dean Martin vs Dan The Automator - Jingle Bells
After the show... not only did I pay props to Nakamura and his frayed at the edges Franz Ferdinand lookalike back up group, I got to chat with one of the MC's on the tour.
That being straight outta the Bronx... world... meet AG formerly of the legendary Diggin' In The Crates crew...
1 comment:
Thanks for this Automator stuff
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