Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Automator Xmas Redux

Last week got a chance to catch Dan The Automator's live set with a full band and lotsa guest MC's. It was the 2nd night of his ensemble's tour, so things weren't nailed down super tight quite yet, but the group locked onto some tight grooves early on in the set and did not relent...

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...





psst ...I offer a track from this old school hip hoppers latest Look Records disc, on this one he recounts his legendary crew outta NYC... and he claims to be so cool he's "frozen like a coke habit"...

A.G - Frozen


plus a Hip Hop classic he's responsible for from the early 90's...

Showbiz & AG - Soul Clap
Soul Clap courtesy the awesome 1st year end review going on now at Dilated Choonz

and an interview where he & the Automator get real with Davey D on Hard Knock Radio just before the show I caught last week...

Dan The Automator & AG with Davey D on Hard Knock Radio



Dan The Automator
2K7 West Coast Tour Dates


Dec 1 2006 8:00P
Catalyst Santa Cruz, California
Dec 2 2006 8:00P
The Senator Theatre Chico, California
Dec 4 2006 8:00P
Berbatis Portland, Oregon
Dec 5 2006 8:00P
Nightlight Bellingham, Washington
Dec 6 2006 8:00P
Neumos Seattle, Washington
Dec 8 2006 8:00P
Suede Park City, Utah
Dec 9 2006 8:00P
Belly Up Aspen, Colorado
Dec 10 2006 8:00P
Fox Theatre Boulder, Colorado
Dec 12 2006 8:00P
Sunshine Theatre Albuquerque, New Mexico
Dec 13 2006 8:00P
TBA Flagstaff, Arizona
Dec 14 2006 8:00P
Canes San Diego, California
Dec 15 2006 8:00P
El Rey Los Angeles, California

Download the free mixtape hosted by Clinton Sparks that Automator assembled of the 2K7 NBA soundtrack...

Here's a bonus tune The Automator co-wrote and produced for Jamie Cullem awhile back that was a hit in the UK

Jamie Cullum - Get Your Way

and another bonus track from Mike Patton's Peeping Tom project, this one featuring Rahzel & produced by yer pal The Automator

Peeping Tom - Mojo


oh and here's more regular merry frickin' xmas tracks for the insatiable holiday mp3 collectors out there...

( i know, for i am one)

Flip Baber aka Johnny Random - Bike Part Nutcracker Suite

from Nutcracker Suite Played Exclusively on Bicycle Parts at Create Digital Music blog


Vandals - A Gun For Christmas

Dwarves - Drinking Up Christmas

The Db's - Holiday Spirit


Easy Roy & The Flux Capacitors - Little Drummer Boy

Nat King Cole - Christmas Song

George Shearing Quintet - Ding Dong ! Merrily On High




1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this Automator stuff