Warning: This blog will probably be long

As many of you know I've been talking about seeing The Roots for nearly two months now. Last night was the show. My friends and I went to stand in line a little after five because the doors opened at seven. We could've been in the front row when we got inside but we decided to be about five or seven rows back to save our ears.

The opening act started at about eight. They were pretty good. The Roots didn't take stage until about nine. It started out by the drummer (?uestlove) and the sousaphone taking stage. The lights were down, all but one which was on the mic. A long drum roll (a minute at least) was played until Black Thought (the groups main rapper) took the mic. Then they went into some freestyle/jam session.

After about five mintues the rest of the band took stage. They played a song together and were really feeling it which the crowd was digging. At the end of the song they flowed in it the riff from (Apache a.k.a Jump on it by The Sugarhill gang). They played a little bit of Apache and the crowd went nuts. Once they were done doing that they went into their Hit song "Here I Come" (one of my personal favorites). At the end of this song they went into the riff of Iron Man.

Afterwards they did a song which felt like a jam session. This lasted probably about five or six minutes. Then went into the next song. I've been looking for the name of it but I can find it. During the chorus the guitar played sang "there's something in your eyes. It's the fire, the fire." In this song there was a very powerful and emotional guitar solo.

The show continued. There was a drum duet/battle between the ?uest love on the set and the other percussionist on the bongos which was awesome. The sousaphone player was running around while playing. The keyboardist had his time as well as the bass player who had a solo during the song you got me.

And the guitarist show case...WOW. During the song You Got Me the band introduced the guitarist. He started to play a few notes on his guitar and then he would sing them with his voice at the sametime. And towards the end of this he was playing very fast and was making some awesome sounds which he was still singing along to! He then started to solo with out singing. He took the guitar off he body. He had one hand on the neck playing(freting) while hold the end of the guitar with his other hand. He slowed moved up in the air as if the guitar was levitating. I was in awe. It reminded me of Jimi Hendrix when he did the voodoo on his guitar which he burned.

After this the band broke into another jam session which featured some of Sweet Child of Mine. Back to rapping and then after that rap session they jammed the beginning of the Immigrant Song in which the guitarist did the Robert Plant intro.

The show continued with the guitarist, sousaphone player, and the bassist doing cheorography while they were playing. You could see smiles on all on the band members faces(I was that close). I liked this because you knew that The Roots were really enjoying themselves and they weren't just playing for the audience.

So if you guys ever get a chance to see The Roots live. Do so! It's an experience unlike anything else.

Swan

For those of you that didn't read my last blog or haven't been in some of the forums I've been posting in. I am going to see The Roots in concert. The concert happens to be tomorrow. Since I won't be on GS at all tomorrow I felt that it would be right to do a pre-concert blog today.

This is my first concert in nearly four years. The last one I went to was Nine Inch Nails back in the summer of2006. So it has been sometime. This concert is also my first hip-hop/rap concert ever. This will also be my first time standing at aconcert. At theother to I sat down but at this venue there are no seats.Let me say I am excited for it. Not only because its another concert, or my first hip-hop/rap concert but because its The Roots. A very respected and legendary group in the hip-hop/rap world.

The doors don't open until 7:00 and the show doesn't start at 8:00. My friend and I will be getting there probably between 4:30 and 5:30. The open act has not been anounced and I don't believe the show has been sold out.

That is my pre-concert blog. I'll post my post-concert blog(which will be much more interesting ) Sunday.

Swan

Warning: This a Rant blog. Though some of you may enjoy it.

For those who don't know I live in the state of Maine. Nothing much happens here and there isn't much to do. That's probably why we don't get a lot of concerts here with a lot of good and or popular bands. Maybe once a year we will have a good show.

But recently there has a been a lot of great legendary artists coming to my state. First there was Snoop Dog coming to the town 10 minutes from my home town. It was a small venue for 2,000 people. I was quite shocked that he would even come here. Then we have The Roots coming to Orono. Which is right next to one of the bigger cities in the State (Which iswhere I attend college). I will be attending The Roots and the show is in 9 days! But this morning on the radio I heard that Alice In Chains is playing in the state as well. I was excited and pumped when I heard this. I won't be able to go because there is no way I can get to the show since its during the middle of the week and where they're playing is about 2 to 2 and a half hours from where I attended school. And money I could probably afford it but I should put that money towards school.

Anyhow that's what this blog is about.

Swan