So work's a little slow today (can't believe I actually made it in after last night), so I'll do another essay (and why not?!)
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Again, before I start, I've got a message from Thes... he knows about the 10 Years of PUTS Forum thread, and he and Double wanted to send a huge congrats to YoYoPo and a GIGANTIC thank you to, not only 'Po, but the PUTS Army and everyone who's dropped by here and been a major fan of the PUTS.
He said that he keeps meaning to stop by in person, but things have been CRAZY for him lately. Got a lot of things happening, and to be honest, both he and Double seemed a little tired backstage. The crazy part was that there was NO evidence of being tired when they got on stage. They blew the spot up royally, which was great. BUT he's just got a lot of things on his plate, so he should be dropping by when he can. Dude's run ragged with everything (I'll touch on it a bit more below)
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So, as far as the show goes: in usual Sactown fashion, I get to the venue 30 minutes before the doors open, and De La Tribe (that's the homie!) is actually waiting out front when I get there. We had a cool chat... find out he's a movie fan like me, AND he thinks that Vertigo is one of the best movies out there, so already, he's gonna be one of the coolest dude in the place, haha. Thes came out and said what's up to us at one point too. (Later on in the night, I saw one other cat that I remembered from the Oakland show... I thought he was on the forums too, but I can't remember his handle... if you said what's up to me last night, and I didn't tag you in here, lemme know!)
The doors finally open, and just as they do, I see long-time P forum member boombip walk up with a friend. She also said she wants to get back on the forum more (she's been gone a while 'cause she's changed jobs and things... busy times). I talked with her for a while once we got in, and then Thes invited me back to the green room where Double was hanging out, just to say hi...
When we got backstage, Double said what's up and Thes offered me a beer, and the three of us just chatted and hung out for pretty much the entire time until their set. The convo was very deep this time, but it had it's funny moments. I must've spent most of my time there in the backroom (both before and after the set).
On the goofy side, Double's got a little terrier like I do, and he said that his wife had actually wanted to make a care package for my dog, Pico, 'cause they always see me posting pics of him on Instagram. Double told me I should write a rap for them to do on the next album about my dog Pico hanging out on Pico (a street in L.A.) hahaha... They also said that they liked the fan videos I posted up on YouTube, and it actually made Double and his bro (the one in Villain Park) go back and watch Wattstax and Fly By Night again. I also mentioned that I remembered Double had said Kidd Lexus was in Sacramento now, and I asked if he was coming to the show. Double said "Ah, sh*t! I wanted to call him and have him come out. [Thes suggested calling him.] Naw, man. He's got a wife a kid, and his wife will beat him up if he comes out last minute like this, heh heh."
Double's actually been listening to a lot of the old Brothaload stuff they recorded back in the day, and he and Thes are trying to go through all the old floppy disks and DATs and save all their old music. Some of the tapes have gotten corrupted or wiped, but they've got most of it. Thes still has a lot to get through, I guess.
On the real side, though, a lot of what we talked about were the trials and tribulations that Thes and Double have had to face while touring this time, and they've had their share. We also talked about where the cats are at in their music career at this point, and the possible future of things. It was crazy interesting to hear what they had to say. Thes also WENT OFF on the audience using cell phones too much in the crowd. (I guess that, at the Troubadour, a guy had been asking for "discounts" at the merch table, and the same guy later on, was texting people in the front row and only half-watching the show). He also mentioned some of the other irksome problems with a small section of the fanbase. I actually think I'll have to take a separate thread to talk about all this, 'cause I think it'll take me too long to type right now, but I'll try to give you all the down-low when I can. (Some of the stuff they told me is probably a little too personal to post on the web, though, so I'll have to self-censor a bit.)
Meanwhile, out on the main stage, there was only one opening act (I heard his music through the door while PUTS and I talked... meh, wasn't my kind of sound), and the turnout for the show was a little disappointing. It was a smaller venue, but not packed to capacity. I'm feelin' pi**ed at my hometown right about now for the lack of representation. Thes and Double were a little concerned too, but it actually turned out great, the vibe was flowing, and the energy was high. After the show, they told me it turned out a lot better than they thought it might. This was their second show ever in Sactown, and the first one was in a little run-down collective building, and THAT was straight-up house party... this was in a nicer venue, but it was still a more intimate show.
The actual show was great. The homies were a bit looser for the night, and while they mostly kept to the pre-approved 12SP tour script, they messed around a bit, and it was a blast. They shouted out George Clinton 'cause it was his birthday yesterday. Thes asked the crowd what beers their parents drank, and someone in the front row said "Natty Ice" (eeeeeggghhhh). Thes' freestyle was good this time, too. For SF Knights, everyone was yelling "On the warm SACRAMENTO NIIIIIIIGHTS!".
On the "Your mama's so fat! [How fat is she!!]" part of the show, the homies started talking sh*t about each other's moms, and Thes got off a good one about Double's mom and "won" (for the first time on the tour, supposedly). I guess Bret Michaels from Poison was headlining at the California State Fair in Sactown, and Thes said something about her going to see the show and eating all the corndogs at the fair or something. It was hilarious.
Funniest part of the show was the "Hang Loose" encore. All the girls came up on stage as usual, but this one redhead was GONE. She was holding a beer and frantically twerking on Thes, and it just got ridiculous. Thes kept looking over at her while he was busting his rhymes with a complete "What the hell is happening?!?" face the whole time. (Another girl headlocked him from the back and shot a selfie of the two of them over his shoulder... while the twerkfiend was working her magic.) Later on, he said that that girl had wrapped around his leg like a stripper pole, and left a snail trail (I'm pretty sure he was joking... I hope.). I was dyin'!! She finally got off Thes and just kept twerking with her *ss toward the crowd, and it was too much. I told Thes I was gonna put that sh*t on YouTube and tell his wife, and I wanted to just shout "You TUBE!" instead of "Hang Loose!" during the song.
Anyway... good times were had by all.
After the show... well... one consequence of the low-turnout was that Thes decided to wait on all merching 'til after the show, so the line was crazy long, and Harlow's staff had a hard time closing out the night. I managed to replace the white WRLA shirt that I ruined in the wash (it turned pink... WTF, I don't own any red sh*t...), and I also helped boombip cop a beanie and a CD (she bought me a beer for my trouble... good lookin' out, Bee!). boombip and I talked with Double K a bit at the merch table for a while too.
After the merch closed down, Thes and Double invited boombip and I back to hang out a while longer, and we must have been back there for an hour or more. Double and boombip smoked out (with one of the guys from Harlow's, I think), and we all talked about a lot of things. I'll try to add our convos to the other thread I mentioned earlier.
After we left, I gave boombip a ride back to her place a couple blocks away and then drove the 20 min back out to Davis. Got home a 1:15 a.m., took a shower, slept 4 hours, and then got up and went to work, where I am now (barely... I don't want to be here!!).
I need to start saving for merch table now though.