On Saturday night, the smooth funky sounds of the Polyrythmics poured out the front door of The Wonder Bar and spilled into the streets of Asbury Park. These guys brought their stylistic blend of funk, soul, progressive jazz, R&B, afrobeat, and psychedelic rock to the Jersey shore and the crowd ate every note up with a spoon. All in attendance couldn't stop dancing to their upbeat funky grooves.
Founded in Seattle in 2010, The Polyrhythmics was formed by guitarist Ben Bloom and drummer Grant Schroff. Soon after they started putting together a band with some of the most talented musicians in the northwest including Art Brown on the Saxophone, Jason Gray on Bass, Scott Morning on Trumpet, Nathan Spicer on Keys, Elijah Clark on Trombone, and Karl Olsen on Percussion (who was not playing with the band on Saturday). Each member of the band brings their own unique style which combines into the bands horn-driven aggressive funk afrobeat sound.
Polyrhythm is defined as the simultaneous use of two or more rhythms that are not readily perceived as deriving from one another. Polyrhythms can be distinguished from irrational rhythms, polyrhythms require at least two rhythms to be played concurrently, one of which is typically an irrational rhythm. With that being said, I think that the band lives up to their name and the definition of the term to a tee. Their exploration of the different rhythms and blending of the styles of all their different influences all come together for an extraordinary live music experience.
The band had been working on their upcoming album, Man from the Future, and companion EP Fondue Party during the pandemic. They actually got snowed in at the ranch in Washington they were recording at and put that time to good use, laying down the tracks in 72 hours. Talk about putting in the work! Now emerging from the pandemic, they are getting back on the road and blowing the minds of their audiences around the country. These guys are no joke and aren't messing around.
The Polyrythmics came to Asbury and I was thoroughly impressed seeing them live for the first time. This octet explores so many different vibes of the music and mixes all the ingredients together for an epic live music experience that can't be missed. Watch out for these guys coming your way this spring and summer. If you got your dancing shoes and are ready to get down, I highly recommend you check them out! Here is the link to their website polyrhythmics.com for all the info you need to find out about the band and their tour to support their latest album. Trust me when I say you won't be disappointed these guys are on fire!
Tampa's Glove are special. They very much look and feel as if they come from another time, but maybe it's because they're from the future? Their style is reminiscent of bands such as Joy Division or Echo & The Bunnymen. Stylish and cool "Behaviour" comes off of Glove's brilliant debut album Boom Nights. This Live performance piece will have to hold us until an official video is released, catch them on tour.
Hot Tub Johnnie & Hunnypot Approved!
The Grind Time era was the introduction to battle rap for so many of us. Burgeoning around 2008, the league spanned from coast to coast with divisions in all major hip hop markets. Due to the league’s rapid growth, oversaturation, lack of quality control, and infighting among owners, Grind Time Now declined, and ultimately disbanded around 2012. Seeing a vacuum in the space, a couple of the other big leagues recruited talent from the then-somewhat-defunct brand and gave these battlers new respective platforms. For 10 years, these battlers rapped on other leagues without a true home-base. While this had been a great temporary solution, the time has come to bring it back home.
Drect, Lush One, and Dizaster – all of whom were directly involved in the original Grind Time, banded back together 10 years later to form GTX Battles. They debuted this new league with a heavy first card, The Prelude, at the Los Angeles Skate Club.
The Prelude had three main events on the card: Aye Verb vs. Pass, Kitchen Qleen vs. Geechi Gotti, and Aczino vs. Dizaster. Aye Verb vs. Pass was an ode to the heyday of Grind Time. Both have battled so many times on Grind Time that I was convinced the two had battled before (they haven’t). Seeing Plex Rock and Lush One stand between these two gentlemen was a nostalgic scene itself. Next up, Kitchen Qleen vs. Geechi Gotti was the street battle of the night. Not many battlers can match Geechi’s element of street talk and Kitchen Qleen did exactly that. I gotta credit Geechi Gotti as he’s the rapper on the card who really leaned into Mexican/Spanish content that resonated with the audience (more on this later). He really had his finger on the audience that night and it showed with the reactions he elicited.
This leads me to the main event of the night: Dizaster vs. Aczino. I had never heard of Aczino until this card was announced. Battle rap is such a niche scene that each “universe” is quite isolated from each other, from country to country and language to language. Apparently Aczino is in contention to be one of the most viewed battle rappers in the entire world; he’s a big deal in Mexico. More than half of the fans in the building were there specifically to see him. There were Mexican flags being waved proudly and thunderous “Aczino! Aczino! Aczino!” chants leading up to battle. It felt like a boxing match. Another mind-blowing fact is Aczino barely knows English; he learned English specifically for this battle. The first round was entirely in English, second entirely in Spanish, and the third was a free for all – Spanglish, if you will. Security may have lost a little bit of control leading up to the main event as the crowd eagerly encroached on the ring to get a better view of the action. I was lucky enough to be right behind the Ruin Your Day folks filming the battle but despite being that close, I still had to fight for my space. While mildly inconvenient, it was a raw and authentic experience.
The GTX Team really nailed this event. The battles were on point. The venue was packed. The battles went off without a hitch. And this was only The Prelude. Rumor is their next event is called The Next Episode, and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us. If you still want to catch this event, you can cop the VOD at https://www.rapgrid.com/theprelude
When Tech N9ne, the top independent rapper of all time, brings his live show to San Diego you make sure and check that s*** out! Tech N9ne (Aaron Dontez Yates) co-founded the independent hip hop record label Strange Music with Travis O’Guin in 2000 and has been unstoppable ever since. The rapper from Kansas City has sold over 2 million albums and is also known to frequently collaborate with A-list artists of various genres: Lil Wayne, Eminem, Gary Clark, Jr., Kendrick Lamar, Machine Gun Kelly, System of a Down’s Serj Tankian, and Slipknot’s Cory Taylor. Tech N9ne has been on an incredible run of creative output, releasing full length albums almost every year like a machine; his 20th album Planet was released March 2018, followed by N9na in 2019, Enterfear in 2020, and last October Asin9ne marked Tech N9ne’s twenty-third studio album. Impressively, Tech N9ne was also listed 10th on the list of hip hop’s highest paid acts of 2021.
A talented four act hip hop bill awaited me at SOMA, the best all ages live music venue in San Diego. Strange Music artist Joey Cool got the night started as hip hops fans ages 8 to 58 arrived at the venue surprisingly early to check him out. Joey exuded confidence and swagger hitting the crowd with amazing rap technique over some truly mesmerizing and catchy tracks. Joey paced back and forth on the stage creating a genuine connection with the crowd. If you need an introductory tune for Joey Cool, check out “Man on Fire” (feat. Tech N9ne and Y2) – especially the recently released video which is pure fire.
Next up was another Strange Music signee, the energetic ¡Mayday! out of the Miami, Florida hip hop scene. The group includes rappers Bernardo Garcia (Bernz) and Ben Miller (a.k.a. Wrekonize) along with producer, and percussionist Andrews Mujica (a.k.a. NonMS). Bernz and Wrekonize were jumping and rapping all over the place! Great energy! Live percussion performed by NonMS offered a fresh Latin flavor to their music – the sonic accents of live snare and congas cut through the recorded musical playback adding an extra rhythmic energy I truly enjoyed. Check out ¡Mayday!’s impressive new album, Minute to Midnight, just released in March. It’s a polished collection of tracks featuring a wide variety of musical moods and styles to keep your attention.
For the third act, fans were greeted to a lone cross on a dark stage. Donning prisoner threads, X-Raided (Anerae Brown) is escorted on stage and strapped onto the cross. Unable to move with hands outstretched and strapped down, X-Raided delivers an impassioned performance of “F.Y.E. (For Your Entertainment)”. There’s a damn good reason X-Raided’s lyrics about prison life and street violence are genuine, full of expletives and intense – it’s autobiographical. He served 26 years in prison for murder and was paroled in 2018. It was inspiring to hear X-Raided proclaim positive messages about being a positive influence on your community and encouraging people to make positive changes in their life.
Now it was for the main attraction. When Tech N9ne hit the stage, the crowd went wild and immediately started shouting out the lyrics and callbacks in line with their rap hero. I was simply blown away at Tech N9ne’s vocal abilities. What came to mind was how rap is very similar to percussion – rap just uses vocals instead of drum strikes over a beat. My favorite part of Tech N9ne’s performance were the crazy speed raps – not that different from a mind-blowing Neil Peart drum solo – just that the rhythm is a tornado of words not a blur of fills across a drum kit. Tech N9ne’s pronunciation technique was faster than my brain could even comprehend. This fast-paced rapping style originated in the Midwest and is commonly called “Chopper” – and Tech N9ne is one of the most successful hip hop artists using this style. Check out the tune “Face Off”, from Asin9ne, it also features Joey Cool, King Iso, and Dwayne Johnson. The track already has almost 105 million streams on Spotify.
San Diego was the 8th stop on Tech N9ne’s ambitious 57-date run of performances that end with a triumphant hometown show in Kansas City, MO on June 11th. With three outstanding supporting acts and Tech N9ne in prime form, hip hop fans should be circling their calendars to check out this show when it comes to town.
Be well and keep rockin’!
Hey everyone, this is Matty B and I'm here with the newest single from Fozzy. This song is called "I Still Burn" and it is absolute fire in its purest sense. If you're looking for something that will get your adrenaline pumping and your juices flowing, then this is the song for you. So make sure to check the video and let me know what you think. And get ready for the release of Fozzy's latest album, Boombox, to be released on May 6th. It picks up where 2017's Judas left off and takes the sheer genius of Chris Jericho and Fozzy to a whole new level. It's an "11" on a "10" scale and then some!
- Matthew Belter
What can I say, I knew I was in for a great night knowing The Band Camino was coming to Dallas. Being a band that I have been listening to for a few years now, there isn’t a song by them that I didn’t like. The whole way to The Factory in Deep Ellum, I was giddy with anticipation because I couldn’t wait to sing their songs live. They were joined by the bands flor and Hastings. Everyone in the room was pumped with anticipation, about to have the time of their lives. Let’s dive into the show.
Starting off the show was Hastings. Right out of the gate, they ran into some technical difficulties that delayed their performance. It seemed as if their computer wasn’t wanting to connect to the sound system, so once fixed, they only had enough time for three songs. I could see how this might disappoint some fans, but it wasn't their fault and didn’t get us down. The moment they figured it out, it was game time, and they really brought the energy to the stage. The three songs they chose included “Blank Me”, “Chapstick”, and “Take Mine”, and all were fantastic. This was my first time seeing them and when they come back through, I will be there.
Next up was flor and boy did they come in hot. They really gave off that exciting 80s vibe with their stage appearance. The lead singer, Zach Grace, was such a great front man to watch while shooting from the photo pit. Being a band that I also had never heard prior to the show, I was again catching myself really enjoying their vibe and music. The Band Camino really did a great job picking the bands they brought on this tour and all complimented them in amazing ways. Some of the songs I really enjoyed from them were “hold on”, “dancing around”, and “back again”. I really can’t wait to see them again.
Finally it was time for the main attraction, The Band Camino. I don’t think I’ve been this excited about a headliner in a long time. This being the largest show they have ever played (with estimated attendance of nearly 4500 people), I had a sneaky suspicion this performance was going to amazing and possibly one of the best I’ve ever seen. Given the number of songs that are 100% hits, the crowd would surely be singing the entire time and they did not disappoint during the epic 20-song setlist. Jeffery Jordan, one of their lead singers, gave us all of his energy on stage as was running around and jumping constantly. What was super neat about them was having two lead singers, and that was something I didn’t realize before. Spencer Stewart really did a great job complimenting Jeffery’s voice on stage. They went on to play some of my favorite songs like “2/14”, “Who Do You Think You Are?”, “See Through”, and even gave Dallas an exclusive performance of “Crying Over You” that hasn’t been played on any other date. Closing out the show with one of their biggest songs, “Daphne Blue”, The Band Camino made everyone’s evening a night to remember.
The Band Camino’s Thursday night performance performance was electric and had the Dallas crowd going wild. All of the opening bands were incredible and brought an amazing amount of energy to the night. If you get a chance, make sure to catch this tour – it’s just that good. And be sure to follow the Hunnypot Live for all the latest concert news – we’ll keep you in the loop with more incredible coverage and killer photos that will make your heart sing!
Hunnypot Live #460, a Pagan spring holiday.
Special/Sexy/Sleazy performed live music with Easter eggs of musical influences.
ibeshocker sprung into hip hop action (with guest vocals by Lauren and A-G Lexi's)
Kevvie3TM may have died in a motorcycle crash and resurrected himself a few days later to perform solid hip hop and rap for the masses. DEDUXION dropped tracks and hyped the traveled all the way from Modesto fans.
+ AFTERPARTY w. HOT TUB JOHNNIE
Photos & recap - Jeffrey Gray
We are special/sexy/sleazy, we live in Los Angeles, and we make loud, aggressive, feedback-drenched indie rock. Influenced by the heartfelt shrieks and squeals of bands like Modest Mouse and Pavement, the energetic guitar-powered pop of bands like Everclear and Third Eye Blind, the dense compositions and non-stop energy of bands like Bomb the Music Industry and Prince Daddy, and the guitar wizardry and showmanship of classic rock and hair metal, special/sexy/sleazy blend joy with sadness, introspection with exuberance, and invite you to have as much fun as you can stomach.
Led by singer/songwriter/guitarist Jake Medeiros, special/sexy/sleazy also includes Brie Goldsobel (vocals/keys), Brandon Ferguson (guitar/keys), Summer Wetmore (bass), Katie Wong (keys), and Joey D’Alfonso (drums). We just finished our debut self-titled record, special/sexy/sleazy. The record was produced by Ryan Pollie (Los Angeles Police Department, Ryan Pollie, Teddy Grossman), mixed by Chris Baglivo (Spirit of the Beehive, Mannequin Pussy, Hop Along), and mastered by Mark Chalecki (Tokyo Police Club, Islands, Joyce Manor). The album has not been released yet, but will be soon
Nevin Shoker, better by his stage name ibeshocker, is an Indian-American rising hip-hop artist, audio engineer, and songwriter originating from Modesto, California. Now based in West Hollywood, ibeshocker gives a refreshing taste and sound to hip-hop through his story-telling lyricism. Shocker’s journey through music began with his mother and the inspiration he drew from watching her sing. As he grew older, he found a hobby in writing poems which later developed into head-turning lyrics. Inspired by nostalgia and romance, ibeshocker delivers music that will transfix and transport listeners to different time periods in their lives, allowing them to reflect on their past, present, and future relationships.
Kevvie3TM is a recording artist/ song writer from Northern California, currently based out of West Hollywood. Since deciding to come out to Los Angeles he has started working on his debut album “S.P.L.I.T.” which will be announced in early 2022. He works with a independent musical collective of artists, producers, and engineers called “Open Studios”. This has led to more networking opportunities, meeting and collaborating with other creatives such as videographers, photographers etc.
In the course of 2021 Kevvie3TM has landed a song featured with rapper ibeshocker titled “Melrose Blues” in a full-length feature film Pride Jewel. He has recently been covered in the Voyager magazine here in LA and has his lyrics cited in Rap Genius. His main single out now is titled “Memories”. Memories has been play-listed on various Spotify lists and accumulated 30k views on YouTube. Kevvie3TM stated “Memories opened the door to many opportunities and has been a large reason I’m privileged to perform for places such as the HUNNYPOT LIVE at The Mint. I am focusing on performing and going on tour soon”. You can find him on any platform under the handle Kevvie3TM
Soundcloud Facebook Twitter Instagram Spotify
On Saturday April 9th, Dayseeker and crew brought the heat to The Loft in Dallas, Texas. As someone who has been following them from quite some time, seeing them with We Came As Romans last October, I was so excited for this intimate show. Being a smaller venue, everyone was in for a great night up close with each of the bands. Dayseeker was joined by Thornhill, Holding Absence, Caskets, & Future You.
Up first were Dallas natives, Future You. I had never heard their music before but after that night, I will be following their future releases. Having only 2 songs live on Spotify, this brand-new band is set to take a stake in the scene after this performance opening for these insane acts. I think my favorite song they played had to be “Let Go”.
A neat thing about this tour was Dayseeker sought out international bands to have come tour with them. Most of the other bands had never done a tour in the states so for us, it was cool to be at the show. One of those, and next up, was London natives, Caskets. I had heard a lot about them from some friends of mine and I really loved the energy they brought to the stage. From song to song, they continued to keep the crowd engaged and off their feet. Can’t wait to see them again soon!
Following their set was Holding Absence, another one that was touring in the states for the first time they said. What I really enjoyed about their set was how each song had fantastic melody lines. Their lead singer, Lucas Woodland, had an awesome voice and was hitting some insane notes. I realized straight away that this band was the real deal and so look forward to see how high they will climb. Awesome!
Next up were Australia based band, Thornhill. They have been popping up in different playlists that I’ve been listening to recently, so I was very interested in seeing them live. It was something about their image and presentation that I found super interesting. They hit the stage and immediately I was blown away by the way their lead singer sang over the heavy riffs. From time to time he would let out an intense scream. It was quite impressive to say the least. I understood why they have been popping up everywhere I’ve been consuming music. Such a powerful stage performance and a band I know I will be staying in the loop of.
Finally, Dayseeker was ready to take the stage. I have been emotion their drummer put into every song as well. I feel like the snare was just about ready to pop by how hard he was hitting it. I really enjoyed their two songs “Afterlife” and “Gravity” from the set. Such a great band! I have been listening to them for a couple years now ever since I discovered their "Hello" cover by Adele. This was their first ever headlining tour and the have been selling shows out left and right on this run, Dallas being one of them. Rory Rodriguez has one of the best voices in the scene right now and he is as good live as he is in the studio. The stage was set, lights were coming up and then Dayseeker hit the stage. For being a smaller stage setup, they made it seem big with the production. It was exciting to hear all my favorite songs by them like “Burial Plot”, “Drunk”, “Neon Grave”, and “Sleeptalk”. Having seen them not too long before this, they brought so much more energy to this show. They really gave it their all. I cannot wait to see them continue to succeed and sell out even bigger venues.
Overall, Dayseekers and their Sleepwalk Tour was a phenomenal show and exceeded my expectations on all levels. It was a performance for the ages and one you definitely won't want to miss!
Country rock outfit Blackberry Smoke has successfully developed a loyal fanbase with great songs, relentless touring and high-energy performances. Formed in 2000 in Atlanta, the band has released 7 full length studio albums, with the last five reaching the top 10 of Billboard’s country charts. Demonstrating a cross-over appeal to both country and rock fans, the band has also performed well on Indie and Rock charts. After years of hearing rave reviews about Blackberry Smoke’s live shows, I finally had a chance to catch them in concert at sold out Belly Up in Solana Beach, CA.
Waiting for the show to start I couldn’t help but notice all the musical equipment on stage. I joked, “Is an army playing? How many dudes are in this band”? As the opening country rocker “All Over the Road” kicked in, I found the answer to be 7 band members – and holy (blackberry?) smoke they sounded fantastic! It was clear right away that the live show’s heartbeat was charismatic primary songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist Charlie Starr. Singing with passion and conviction, Starr danced and played guitar all over the stage. Starr was a hoot, often bantering humorously with the audience in between songs. Noting the venue’s beach city location, he apologized for not knowing any Beach Boys songs. Guitarists Paul Jackson and Benji Shanks made for a well-coordinated three-axe attack where each guitar part added a different element to the song. Keyboardist Brandon Still provided a southern rock flare with nicely placed piano and organ accents. The rhythm section consisted of brothers Brit (drums) and Richard Turner (bass) as well as percussionist Preston Holcomb to effectively blend everything into one cohesive sound.
The enthusiastic crowd were treated to a setlist longer than a CVS receipt – 22 songs ranging from kickass rockers like my all-time favorite “Waiting for the Thunder” to gentle Americana folk like “Old Enough to Know”. The set showcased many songs off Blackberry Smoke’s latest album, the 2021 homage to their home state, You Hear Georgia If you gravitate more to up-tempo rock jams like me, you’ll enjoy new tunes “Live it Down”, “All Rise Again”, and “All Over the Road”. After witnessing the live performance, my new album favorite is the spirited folky blues rock track “Old Scarecrow”. I’m a sucker for clever metaphors and I love this one – comparing a mindset of tireless work ethic, unwavering beliefs, and desire to live and let live to that of a scarecrow. Interesting side note, the tune was co-written by Rickey Medlocke of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blackfoot. The first verse/chorus is restrained with just low-volume blues guitar and keys. Drums come in on the second verse to build the crescendo. Finally, the second chorus erupts with roaring power chords with slide guitar and organ ablaze adding to the magic.
Like an old scarecrow
Standin' in the sun
Day after day
His work ain't never done
I ain't ever gonna change my ways
Make my stand for the rest of my days
Whether you’re a fan of country, a fan of rock, or something in between, these crafty musicians from Georgia will appeal to you in some way. Offering witty lyrics that resonate to everyday people, blending a creative mix of blues, country, rock, folk and Americana, and treating fans to an entertaining and energetic road show, there is nothing left to do but inhale deeply with a nice big hit of Blackberry Smoke!
Rock on and be well! - Greg Vitalich
When you think about rap battles, you’re likely to think of the major platforms such as URL, RBE, and KOTD. These leagues have racked up millions of YouTube views by farming talent, building storylines, and coordinating matchups at the perfect times of battlers’ careers. At the time this review was published, Hitman Holla vs. Tay Roc was at 3.2 million views, Dizaster vs. Dumfoundead was at 2.7 million views, and Cassidy vs. Arsonal was at 2.8 million views. But you know what battle has more Youtube views than all of them? Ketchup vs. Mustard on Illmac’s Rap Off Battles. As of today, that battle (voiced by Dizaster [Ketchup], Lush One [Baking Soda], and Illmac [Mustard]) has racked up 3.3 million views. Yes, I’m talking about the cartoon: across all platforms, it’s racked up 30+ million views. I know it’s not the 40-minute battle we’re used to, but that’s still a lot of eyeballs and they’re onto something here.
Since 2018, Illmac and the team have gone onto produce several cartoons including Dog vs. Cat (voiced by Hollow Da Don [Dog], Lush One [Pigeon], and Carter Deems [Cat]) and the Mustard Freestyle (voiced by Method Man). As objectives for growth became clear, it was understood that money would be needed to achieve the vision. Cartoons and animation are not cheap. Conversations ensued with major TV networks and production studios. A deal was almost signed with a big studio but creative differences and ultimately the COVID19 pandemic shut down these traditional avenues of funding and production. Around this time, the NFT and Web3 space took off as alternative forms of funding, and Rap Off decided to move forward with the community/membership based funding to preserve the integrity of the product. You might roll your eyes when you hear me mention NFTs in this context due to the pump-and-dump scams we’ve all heard about: companies generate loads of interest, crowd fund loads of money, and are incapable of producing value after the fact. That’s why these guys are doing it differently. They’re putting the value out first: making cartoons, throwing events, and showing the scene that they’re here for the long haul.
The event itself was a real family affair. It reminded me a lot of the Ruin Your Show event in LA that I covered for Hunnypot back in 2020. You can read up on that event HERE. This wasn’t the biggest event, but there were a lot of familiar faces, a bartender, a BBQ man, and merch tables for the artists and fans to interact. One thing that separated this event from other battle events is they included additional entertainment that was not limited to battles. Before the battles began, Chase Moore and Fredo took the stage under their moniker, Water Buffalos, to start off the event. After their performance we hopped right into the three battles on the card: Lu Cipher vs. Thesaurus, Frak vs. Danny Myers, and Bigg K vs. Jey The Nitewing. I have clear winners in the first two, and I think Bigg K vs. Jey The Nitewing was a toss-up. Following the battles, Illmac took the stage and broke down the history of Rap Off and chronicled the series of events that led to today (which I attempted to summarize earlier in this review). We paused a few times to watch the aforementioned cartoons and the debut of their newest, NFT-adjacent cartoon, Bored Ape vs. Cryptopunk. After the cartoon watch party and Illmac’s speech, the Seattle/San Francisco rap duo Blimes and Gab took the stage for a generous set to shut the venue down.
This was a great event. I’m excited to see where the Rap Off crew takes this, combining rap battles and cartoons in both the metaverse and in real life. Shout out to the Rap Off team – Illmac, Rhyme Combinator, Butterhoops, Frak, and Pass. Kudos to the Ruin Your Day team for handling the filming/stream and DJ Smokey Martinez and Lush One for holding it down. Rumor in the metaverse is another real-life Rap Off event might be coming to a city near you this summer. Keep your eyes peeled.