Welcome to Channel 612!! (Continued..)

(Continued..)

Trying not to be greedy, I took only 2 hits and passed the blunt to Abhinav. At this point in my journey my tolerance wasn't as it is today and those 2 hits to my amazement got me feelin sufficiently stoned.. Tipsy and high, I now tried to make small talk with my new aquantences. I ignorantly asked. "So who are you guys here to see?" Abhinav replied, beginning with the hysterical laugh that I would hear more and more often in the coming months "Us kid, we are here to see One Mic." As he took the blunt from me without hesitation. "Im Abhi, Abhinav." He went on. "And this is T' La, T' La Shawn." I replied with my usual "Word, what up?" and extended my hand to shake up with Abhi and T' La, as to confirm the introduction, not realizizing I hadn't even given them my name.. Soon they would know though and I wouldn't even have to tell them.

I walked back into the semi-packed Loft and made my way to where K.O.B. had claimed a couch and a table.. Seeing as there wasn't any room on the couch I promplty grabbed a barstool from the bar nearby placing it by the shin high table. Sitting on the stool, I was level with the performers and looking down at the table and K.O.B. However with my new found stonedness I felt quite content with my altitude. Waiting for a pause in conversation I asked K.O.B. "So, when do you go on?" and his reply would be the exact words I would hear from countless performers to come. "I have no idea, I never know when I go on." They would say this with certainty. Like it was the only thing they could be certain about. This always reminded me of a quote fom the Greek philospher, Socrates. He said "All I know is that I know nothing at all. The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing."

K.O.B. went on last. One of the best performances that Ive ever seen him present on stage. There were girls on stage posing like models to his track 'Pose' and everyone was yelling "Aye!!" right along with him to his 'Invisible Man' track. His stage presence was flawless and the crowd's reaction was a direct reflection of his grand performance.

I didn't take pictures at this show. I regret that to this day. However, over 20,000 pictures would be taken by me of local Miinnesota artists in the coming months. I have taken more than a thousand pictures of K.O.B. and at least a thousand of Abhi and T' La now. Several more artists have been added to my resume since this show in August of 09. Ill get to them in a later post..

For now, Id like to Welcome you to Channel 612. Where I will be posting news on the local music scene in my own way. Through writing, video, music, graphic arts, and more I will try my best to paint a semi-unbiaased picutre of what this community Ive grown to love is all about. My name is Cedric 'C²' Crump, and this is Channel 612.