I haven’t caught a performance from Blak Denim since last year’s LiVE 88.5 Big Money Shot, so I was excited to be headed out to their EP release show at the Mercury Lounge.
First up was Missing LinX. Billed as “Canada’s first and only official Hip Hop Poetry Group”, I really had no idea what to expect. What I was treated to was a lively and entertaining performance. Their timing and flow was impressive. While most of their time was spent onstage entertaining the crowd gathered in front of them, by the end of their performance, they had become one with the crowd, performing in the middle of the club floor, encircled by the cheering audience.
Blak Denim could best be described as organized chaos. With 11 members taking the stage, there’s a lot of sounds competing for attention. However it all comes across as a pleasing mix of hip hop, funk and jazz that makes it all but impossible for anyone in the crowd to stand still. While I was familiar with a few songs, one of them being the ear catching Intoxicated, the new stuff, including One Hit and Horticulture sounded great live. The performance was fun and the music speaks for itself. Make sure you check out the new EP Vanguard(en) for yourself.
I hope to catch both of these acts again soon, and if you haven’t seen either of them perform yet………it’s about time you did.
Blak Denim
Missing LinX
