Seismic Video: Live from CHBP 2010! Mad-Rad, Book of Black Earth and Hey Champ!

A few things were confirmed at this years CHBP, but one thing in particular is standing out in my CHBP 2010 experience. For the longest time I have known of Mad Rad, and have always “heard” of how entertaining the live stuff is, but this group known as Mad Rad have more than that …although filthy and vulgar (just the way I like it), they aren’t just a live act. Don’t get me wrong, when it comes to stage personality Mad Rad has it, and they have it in spades, but what makes them the all around package, is that everything is seemingly thought out and smooth, and that to me means some good management, from the “uniformed attire” to the guest performers. Nevertheless, this group of bona-fide bad-boys kicked off the festivities on Sunday the way everyday of the festival should have been. Balls to the walls energy! I was thoroughly impressed.

On the other end of  the music world we have Book of Black Earth; always wanting to catch a live set, I took the opportunity to escape the sun inside Neumos and select a spot in front.  This is undeniably one of the most musically talented bands I have heard in Seattle with their mind bending chord changes, and lighting quick musical transitions … I was completely in awe, but when the bodies started bouncing off each other, I made a hasty retreat. Call me a pussy….I’ll wear the labias with pride.

Talk about three diverse sounds of music …. after all the other acts I had ingested… I was a bit torn about the Hey Champ show, considering they were playing while two of the hottest people on earth were doing their thing on the main stage (Jack White and Alison Mosshart), but I convinced my pack of friends to check out indie-electro act Hey Champ, who had already taken the Neumos stage. We went to the front of the stage, and it was instantly a ball of energy and head nods of approval from my compadres. This three-some from Illinois were invigorating and encompassing on every level. Personally I thought the sound at Neumos for their set was some of the best I had heard. Crisp, clean, and know ones talents over-riding the others.  Lead man Sam Hagshenas was what every label dreams about … stage presence,  he was all over the stage building the crowds to a crescendoing ball of energy. Not once did I find a lull in their set.  Like any genre of music..it may not be your style, but you have to give people credit who are good at their specific art; and this band certainly has a masters hand at creating electro-pop. By the time they had finished, they had infected everyone in the room with their catchy hooks, and invigorous beats! Mission accomplished.