Sage Francis -The Death Dance Tour

So I am fucking tired as tired can be but I am going to write.

Last night I dragged Neil to see Sage Francis with me. I have written about him in the past stating that he is amazing, his words are transforming. I have had a love affair with Spoken Word for a very long time. Tasha and I would sit for hours in this coffee shop in Providence when we were 18 and chill during the Poetry Slams. Few people had words that I truly felt.

I came across Sage by accident in 2001 in Denver. My old boyfriend had gotten comp tickets for this show the Bluebird and we were not doing anything so we went. Half way walking down the street ( I lived 1 block from the Bluebird) he said to me ” wouldn’t it be great if this was some sick hip hop” As we get closer we here the beats and now this night will be great. There was like 150 people at this show, pretty low key compared to his shows now. But there is dedication from all sources for this man.

So back in March when Sage put up the tour dates for the “The Death Dance Tour” I bought tickets right then and there for the Thursday Middle East dates. I was concerned because I also pre ordered his new record and the release date was May 8th. Not much time to learn the new material and to fully enjoy it.

I did receive the record along with my Buddy Wakefield cd. Listened and learned. Uploaded the songs to the Ipod and I listened on break at work, in the car and at home. I had fallen in love. He keeps evolving and transforming into this amazing speaker, writer and MC.

Every time I see him I fall more in love with his work. & I have seen him at least 15 times.

Last nights show was fantastic, almost as good at the hometown shows when he plays Providence, he has much love in the home front. It had been awhile since I had seen him but the best show ever was the last show in Providence after the “Fuck Clear Channel” tour. He had Gruvis Malt at the backup band, was insane.

So last night the show starts out with Buddy Wakefield an extremely well versed Spoken Word artist. It seems as he and I could talk for hours, because spoken word artist tend to take from their own experiences and he seems to have experienced a lot like myself.

He only did three of his “poems” which I could have listened to him all night.

Next, Alias came out did a short 30 minute set , I enjoy Alias and I enjoy his work. I think he speaks hip hop even though being a white boy from Maine. He has been in San Fran with Anticon records for a long time at this point. Sage and him where label mates for awhile.

Then Buck 65 came on, to be honest Neil found him only moderately entertaining and I on the other hand love his style, his sound is like no one else and he keeps me interested. Beth and I use to listen to “wicked and Weird” for hours over and over again a few years back driving to the beach.

Then Sage, in costume as always comes out. He does a Hodge podge of new and “classic” tracks.

Everything from 1997 to now. I was disappointed he did not do ” Hoof prints in the sand” off the Human to Death Dance record it is my personal favorite. He had the singer Dilly Dilly with him for tracks such as “Got up this morning” she has the voice of a saint.

Check everyone out..See if you like it to and always looking for people to go to the July show in Providence with