The Beastie Boys & Talib Kweli

After a frenzied rush to San Francisco in an extremely slow vehicle, a lesson in city street parking and an altercation with a homeless guy while trying to score an extra ticket, saddling up to a couple overpriced 24-ounce beers and the sounds of Talib Kweli and the Beastie Boys was the perfect way to finish the day. The chaos stopped at the doors, and the community vibe was shared among the thousands in attendance - from the fans of the B-Boys since the '80s who brought their kids along, to the younger hip-hop kids there to see Talib just as much as the headliners, to the groovesters there to jam with the Beasties' instrumentals.
When we first walked in the door, Talib and his DJ were already halfway through their set, and the friendly atmosphere was one I'd never experienced at a show. Even the ticket-takers and purse checkers were smiling and moving along with the beats, and the restroom and booze lines were filled with friendly people - a rarity, in my book. The floor was already packed while Talib and his DJ played songs from his newest album, Beautiful Struggle, as well as stuff off his first solo release, including the radio hit "Get By." The beats were infectious, and even the older Beastie Boys fans who had arrived early were bobbin' to Talib's sounds, and going crazy when DJ Hi-Tek enjoyed some solo time to show off his turntable skills.
But the master of the turntables, Mix Master Mike, really got the crowd going when, after a lengthy intermission, he strolled through the same doors we'd come through, walked through the crowd and finally alighted the stage - all while being showcased on three huge screens onstage. He started out with a little interlude of B-boys hits, sometimes set to other artists' sounds (including Jimi Hendrix), and then it was on. For the next 20 minutes or so, it was three MCs and one DJ, throwin' out some of their best hits, new and old. They warmed us up with "Root Down" and a little friendly competition with "Time to Get Ill," then left the stage for a while, leaving Mix Master Mike to his art, with cameras trained up-close on each turntable and projected on the screens above. The Beastie Boys returned on a lit-up rotating stage that resembled a parade float or some backyard party stage. Decked out in powder blue suits and backed up by a couple more musicians including keyboardist Money Mark, they jammed their more jazz / funk instrumental songs, then left us again, only to return for more beats, with hits ranging everywhere from "Paul Revere" off of License To Ill to "Ch-Check it Out," from their latest, To the 5 Boroughs. When they signed off the first time, we all hung around, knowing they couldn't leave without playing "Sabotage"- a performance I was told to anticipate in advance from friends who'd caught the show before. What we didn't know is that all three of them would run up to the balcony seats and perform "Intergalactic" against the railings, right above our heads. After the crowd was sufficiently amped, they returned to the stage to send us off with a guitars/drums-backed finale.
Surprisingly, the show wasn't super politically-charged, though we were treated to a video of a Bush parody by Will Farrell, and were urged to get out and vote. Faster guitar-backed songs like "Heart Attack Man" or "Time for Livin'" were also missed. But this first-time B-girl won't hesitate again when asked if she wants a free Beastie Boys ticket.
- Mandy Johnston

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