The Candliers

Tonight @ Stonefly - 10 p.m.

Dec. 31, 2008

midnight

The Candliers are as fitting a band to spend New Year's Eve with as any. Candied with trumpet, banjo and Wurlitzer, the group's starry-eyed love letters to the people, places and sounds of America's past couldn't squeeze in any more pomp if the band replaced all their instruments with pots, pans and noisemakers. The Riverwest seven-piece performs tonight on a 10 p.m. Stonefly Brewery bill with Dead Man's Carnival, a subversive circus troupe whose past performances have included stripteases, vaudevillian song and dance, unfortunate clowns, fire-eating and something called the Ramp of Death, which probably won't be possible to recreate indoors because of basic fire codes. The Madtown Hellcats and Sanjula Vamana round out the bill.

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Good article, with insightful points that can not ...

Good article, with insightful points that can not be denied. However, the challenge is FINDING Independent Hip Hop, today, that is truly that "different" slice of music life. For one, many of the previously recognized "independent" artists that you mentioned were actually signed to/working with "major" labels - that alone makes it slightly difficult to see artists like that as independents. But I know most will disagree with me.
More importantly, I think artists previously mentioned were only ONE TYPE of indie artist. Immortal Technique, MFDoom for instance are likened to that "golden era" style of hip hop - that EAST COAST STYLE, THAT NEW YORK ISH...(so to speak) I AM KNOCKING IT AT ALL - I LOVE IT AND STILL LISTEN TO IT- but it is still all ONE vain of Independent hip hop.
Tech N9ne is, at least to me, one of the most successful independent hip hop artists and his style and approach, content and subject matter is truly from a different angle - even when it still focuses on "money, hoes, partying" type stuff.
I just implore people to look at the other side of the tracks when it comes to independent hip hop artists. Yes, indeed, I have a selfish reason for this request. I am an independent artist myself and I work with, obviously other independent artists – some who wish to remain indie/alternative, and others who are in pursuit of that “commercial” style/sound/success. I don’t think hip hop fans are open minded enough and I see this as a problem because it kills their own opportunities for new music discovery/appreciation. Trying to separate one type from another and insisting that one type is better than the other – divide and conquer only works for those who want “downfall” as an outcome. I want the blossoming and blooming of the art/culture! Each element of the genre has its giants, its lyrical kings, and its wack and/or watered-down and/or weak representatives. The good, the bad, the ugly.
This response is posted by the dead ghost of a live em cee -

Anonymous more than 12 years ago

Well written article. Agree with some of it have t...

Well written article. Agree with some of it have to point out that Immortal Technique is the only independent rapper i listen too. Has more fans than most mainstream. Probably the only rapper out there who speaks his mind and isn't about all the rubbish we have today. You probably know who he is.

Anonymous more than 14 years ago

sad but often times true
...

sad but often times true

Anonymous more than 14 years ago