PICK OF THE WEEK: RJD2 – Wednesday, May 9th & Thursday, May 10th – Boulder & Denver, CO

Why You Should Go: RJD2 has steadily worked his way up the ranks of hip-hop credibility since the release of 2002’s Dead Ringer LP. The 30-year-old Philadelphia resident and multi-instrumentalist RJD2 has since released two records, 2004’s Since We Last Spoke and more recently the decidedly more poppy The Third Hand.

For The Third Hand RJD2 seemingly abandons all the notions and titles that have been placed upon him over the past six years. Underground hip-hop super-producer to many, virtuoso sample-based instrumental wizard to some, RJD2 embodies all of these things on “The Third Hand” but placates none who seek more of the same. Recorded, performed, arranged, and produced entirely himself in his basement studio, RJD2 commands his trusty MPC 2000XL sampler/sequencer alongside a pantheon of analog synths, electric pianos and guitars, not to mention his own voice. Most notably, live instruments come in to play – RJ adds another dimension to his music, no longer satisfied with recording directly off of a sampler.

Currently RJD2 is on the road with a full band to reproduce the sounds that he performed on the record. It will be a departure from past RJD2 shows but it is guaranteed to please even the most hardcore fan out there. “This album is a continuation of what I was doing before. The music is still the same. I’m just using different tools,” he said in a recent interview. Fans should be excited that he was also quoted as saying: “Music is more exciting than it’s ever been to me. I’ve learned more about music, in a general sense, in the last two years than I have in a long, long time.”

-Portions reprinted from RJD2’s current press release. Thanks to Tiffany Childs of The Marquee Magazine for the Quotes. See her article on RJD2 in the current issue of The Marquee (http://www.marqueemag.com/05.07/rjd2.php)

Venue:
Fox Theatre, 1135 13th Street, Boulder, CO 80302
The Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80206

Doors:
Wednesday – 8:30 PM
Thursday – 8:00 PM

*Approximate Set Times:
Wednesday
RJD2: 11:00 PM
Pigeon John: 10:00 PM
Happy Chichester: 9:00 PM

Thursday
RJD2: 11:00 PM
Pigeon John: 10:00 PM
Happy Chichester: 9:00 PM

*Price:
Wednesday:
$20 – General Admission
PURCHASE

Thursday:
$20 – General Admission
PURCHASE

*All times and prices are gathered from other sources and I am not responsible for mistakes or inconsistencies. They are intended only as guidelines. Please, always call the venue if you desire the most accurate information possible.