Drum Rhythm Festival 2000

Westergas Fabriek (Western Gas Factory) , Amsterdam, 26 and 27th of May 2000. The festival season has started. Once more, the old factory plant was the location to display a fine selection of artists. From 2 Step, House, Trance and bullshit to the finer grooves that make your body move by natural dope: Reggae, HipHop and Soul. Although the festival advertises itself to book known and lesser known artists that do not let themselves to be categorized with and pinned down to only one label. We are here for one thing only: Good music!

The first day was nothing, at least for the HipHop heads it wasn't interesting. The only thing interesting (and according to Mickey the bomb!) was the Reggae sound systems. Especially Stone Love Movement: two hours of natural high (+some beers). Hardcore underground from NYC and Jah Sound International from Leeuwarden. Indeed they moved your feet and the rest of your body. Nevertheless, this year, it was all about the Saturday. Dilated People did not come. However, all the others did came. Only Jill Scott, who was billed as featuring with Common, scot the festival.

Hil Street Soul! They took the kick off or better the roll call. This fine young lady from England, born in Zambia, made a record together with Victor Redwood-Sawyerr of Black Twang. Didn't hear the record yet but after hearing her live, it's sure promising.

Talib Kweli started the evening in the Krypton tent. A good show with special surprise guest Common. Ain't a surprise that at Commons concert Talib stopped by to drop some rhymes. Talib shouted that only the 'real' HipHoppers were standing in the front. By doing that, he kind of insulted those who weren't in the front but were enjoining the show with a beer or a joint at the sides or in the back. Some of us are getting to old for that jump around stuff in the middle of the crowd. And never mentioned but it's true: you can hear and watch the performances a lot better if you ain't standing with eight heads on one square meter.

In the Helium tent Common was the bomb, together with a live band his show was just one massive piece of energy. According to the festival's magazine Rolling Stone wrote about him: "The best rapper we never heard of." Well, they never heard of him. Since day one, when he asked if he could '(Can I) Borrow A Dollar?' we eager to see this brother from Chicago. We had to wait a long time after the release of 'One Day It All Make Sense' to take him to The Netherlands. Already on a the next level but with 'Like Water For Chocolate' he really reached a higher level. He's taking us with him on his journey. It looked like he was making up to us, within a year you had the change to see him three times. The first time in this century, when he was here, it was a chapter in history! Now with a live band he proved to be able to give the audience some real good quality time. HipHop is about two turntables and a microphone, sadly the lion share of HipHop artists don't know how to perform and to entertain. Those who do, we see them to less. With a live band including a DJ, you have a whole lot more dimensions to take the funk and they did.

Pharoahe Monch rocked Krypton tent also. Simon Says: Get The Fuck Up. And that's what the crowd did. The first time you could see him solo, was on the same historical night that also featured Common, Rahzel and Ice-T. For those who don't know his roots, better check the three albums he made together with Prince Poetry under the name Organized Konfusion.

Back to the Helium tent. Mos Def took the stage with a band including Weldron Irvine behind the keyboards. Maybe you never heard his name but you know his music for sure. His work was sampled by the likes of Boogie Down Productions who used Sister Sanctified for the classical My Philosophy. And he's also being Q-Tips piano teacher for the last several years. His track We Gettin' Down was used for the Tribe's Award Tour. He collaborated with Mos Def for a bunch of tracks on Def's Black On Both Sides. Although the big difference in age they are on the same mind state. Check out the Blaze issue #16 for more info about him. The show was good; only too bad the tent was too big. It takes the magic away if the stage is ± one kilometer ahead of you.

We did end up in Krypton, were it was time for D.I.T.C. A lot of heads came special to the festival to see and hear this crew. Would they all be there? Was the question that would remain till the end of the show. However, for those who do watch around could have read in the festival's magazine who was coming and who was not. Of course, sadly there was no more Big L. Show never shows up, he always stays at home to hold the home front. And we had to miss Fat Joe and Diamon D. So left were AG, OC and Lord Finesse. The show was decent. What was disappointing was that they were often rapping over their own lyrics. It's something what more American artists do, like Ice Cube, Rakim and P.E. They spin the records, because it's about two turntables and one microphone, but not only the instrumentals but also the vocal versions. It's something that the Dutch audience doesn't digg that much. Although this time the show run a lot more smoothly than the first time they did hit the Dutch shores at the Fat Beats Amsterdam anniversary party. Many considered this one less dope as the first show. Afterwards that first show became even more special because it was one of the last performances of Big L.

In general, Drum Rhythm Festival 2000 was good. Not spectacular and the best artists all on Saturday. However, it was surprisingly very cozy and a lot of fun. Hopefully the next year the renovation of the Westergas Fabriek will be finished. So the festival will be back to the normal or even bigger size and more acts and people can visit the festival.

Photo's and txt: AQ