Of the many musical genres that have been created and cultivated in modern pop culture, hip-hop was the one that seemed to have spread quickest, making its way into households and influencing scores of young music fans.
You blinked in 1984, and The Beastie Boys and Run DMC had become familiar artists and urban culture had spread across the country. Thirty years later, hip-hop is part of the common vernacular, a stronghold in the entertainment industry.
Hip-hop will dominate the musical climate in Durango this weekend with two nights of music; tonight with early pioneer and now elder statesman of the genre KRS-One at the Animas City Theatre, and tomorrow with local outfit Diabolical Sound Platoon performing at the Powerhouse Science Center’s Robot Rumpus fundraiser.
KRS-One is a Bronx-born rapper whose career dates back to the 1980s. Throughout his career he’s put out more than 20 releases, and continues to be an ambassador of hip-hop music and culture, including forming the Temple of Hip-hop, a school, archive and society promoting the genre. His last Durango performance was a sell-out show.
The Robot Rumpus is a Powerhouse Science Center fundraiser. Once more formal events, fundraisers at the center are now crafted to entertain its regular users.
“There is no formal program or plea to donors,” said Powerhouse Science Center Events Manager Ashley Hein. “It’s simply a party, Powerhouse style.”
The idea behind the Rumpus is to host an event with music, all while having contributors and staff display their creations. In this instance, those creations will be robots. While some may be fake, many will be put to use. Real robots could be doing anything from making drinks to checking guests in.
Entertaining at the Rumpus will be Diabolical Sound Platoon, a hip-hop act now approaching 14 years. Unique to hip-hop, you’ll find little electronic gadgetry providing their beat. Diabolical Sound Platoon uses a full band to back up the rappers.
“We perform live music instead of recorded, and use a live band instead of a DJ because we feel the music is more pure,” Platoon lyricist Ben Fisher wrote in an email interview. “We have all original music and we think working in a live band format helps that. The Diabolical Sound Platoon is an idea that has taken years and will probably take a lot more, but it’s headed in the right direction.”
Diabolical Sound Platoon is currently putting the wraps on their debut LP.
Liggett_b@fortlewis.edu. Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager.
Bryant’s best
Friday: Hip-Hop with KRS-One, Ill Methods, Obi One, Concept Musik, 9 p.m. $34, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive, 799-2281.
Saturday: Robot Rumpus featuring Diabolical Sound Platoon, 6 p.m., $20, Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino Del Rio, 259-9234.
