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Monday, September 21, 2009

Dispatches from the Scene / Last Night

Review: Black Clover Beerfest

Posted by Nadia Pflaum on Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 11:54 AM

click to enlarge The tasting glass is small -- that, or Mac is a giant.
  • The tasting glass is small -- that, or Mac is a giant.

72 beers. That's my excuse. 72
*hic* beers.

The idea of mounting a hip-hop show at the Riot Room after the audience and the performers have spent three hours sipping beers from 30 different breweries sounds like a recipe for disaster. Clearly, though, Black Label president Jeremy Willis knows what he's doing. The only thing that went down in flames on Friday night's Black Clover Beerfest was my ability to write coherent notes on anything before stumbling happily home.

Okay, so Mac Lethal fumbled the words to "Makeout Bandit" and his remix of Hotstylz', "Lookin' Boy," but these are minor details when you consider that, a few hours before, both Mac and DJ Sku were raving about the bacon beer.

click to enlarge DJ Sku loves bacon
  • DJ Sku loves bacon
Yeah, I said bacon beer. Scattered all over the Riot Room on Friday night were tubs upon tubs of iced brews, each manned by a knowledgeable liquor rep or brewer who'd happily fill everyone's cute sampling glasses while explaining the peculiarities of each bottle. The guy manning the "bacon beer" station would try to explain that, yes, the flavor is smoky, but smoky like smoked cheese, or anything smoked, not bacon at all, really -- only to be drowned out by somebody dragging a new friend to the tub, like, "Yo, you gotta try the bacon beer."

Another big hit was the Mikkeller coffee-flavored beer. I called Missouri Beverage's Mark Tarry a liar when he told me that it's made from weasel shit, but I've got to apologize now, because the brewer's website confirms Tarry's story. Weasel shit tastes great, by the way.

Mark Tarry has your weasel poo beer right here
  • Mark Tarry has your weasel poo beer right here

 


click to enlarge handsup.JPG
At a quarter to eleven, St. Paul Slim hit the stage with an Amerie beat and a nuclear bass that made the floor shake and clothes vibrate against skin.

Soulcrate Music, a trio from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, stepped up next. They thanked their fans, some of whom traveled to KC from the great -- and very white -- north, and proceeded to play songs like, "Rap Music from the Middle of Nowhere." For me, their set didn't distinguish itself from the hip-hop music performed by college kids in garages and basements all over the map, but I will say this: They never had to tell the crowd to put their hands up. So what do I know? Did I mention, 72 beers?

click to enlarge skumac.JPG
My notes become truly indecipherable once Mac and DJ Sku hit the stage. I've got scribblings that read, "KANSAS CITY, MOTHER FUCKFACE!" and a drawing that I can't explain. I know I saw diehard fans singing all the words, even the ones Mac forgot. I know that Mac drenched his Soulcrate t-shirt. And I know that, rather than the chaos and belligerence one might predict at a show preceded by a beer-tasting, I only saw bubbling-to-overflowing exuberance.

72 beers. That's all I can say.



click to enlarge macroon.JPG
Setlist:
Intro: various beats
Lookin' Bro
Crazy


Black Widow Spider
Rotten Apple Pie


Calm Down Baby


Heart Uvva Pig


Jihad!


Undertow


Parliament Menthol Lights


Know It All


Backwards


Walking On Nails


Lookin Bro again (forgot the words, again)
Pound That Beer


Makeout Bandit


Sunstorm








Bonus! If you haven't seen the video of Mac Lethal's version of Hotstylz "Lookin' Boy," aka "Frat Guido Bromance," via YouTube, get on it:





Comments (5)

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another great show

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Posted by thesmokingplatypus on 09/22/2009 at 11:02 PM

My arm is in the "hands up photo". Every city Kansas that we passed on the journey south was followed by "motherfuck face" In fact, it was a running theme for our whole time spent in the great KC.

Just so you know it's not just you! :)

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Posted by Jill on 09/21/2009 at 3:59 PM

It's socially acceptable to spit at tastings, DH.

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Posted by Jason Harper on 09/21/2009 at 3:46 PM

I did enjoy the weasel shit beer! Enough to go back 3 times for more!

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Posted by Eric on 09/21/2009 at 2:02 PM

this was so fun! i liked a lot more of the beers than i thought i would. sometimes on first taste i would wanna spit it out, but then found myself finishing and wanting more. best time. had way more than $30 worth of high quality beer. well worth price of admission.

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Posted by dh on 09/21/2009 at 12:08 PM
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