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the kind of show where, if you mention it to a friend
that was there, you just nod to each other and speak in reverential
tones.
The music happened Wednesday night when Atlanta funk-metal
phenomenon Kaizer
Soze took the stage in the finals of Top of the Tree, the local
battle of the bands, sponsored by 99x and hosted by CJ's Landing in Buckhead. This was quite possibly the most incredible performance
I've ever seen by a band that isn't known nationally. I told
vocalist Jamal Hafza before I left that "if you guys don't win,
somebody is smoking crack."
Well, I'm going to have to email Steve Craig at 99x to see who had
the pipe and why they weren't sharing. Because up-and-coming hip hop
fusion band
The Wood took home the honors as Top of the Tree
champions for 2002, winning a slot to play at Big Day Out this year,
headlined by Stone Temple Pilots.
No disrespect to The Wood. I caught their first song before I headed
out. They came out very much in the pocket and vocalist/rapper Chad
Greeley was definitely in control of the mic. They must have won the
crowd over after I left because they received a lukewarm welcome
from the audience upon taking the stage. Craig has referred to The
Wood as "one of the best live bands in Atlanta," and Kaizer Soze
speaks highly of their live act, as well.
But it's hard for me to even imagine a better show than Soze put on
Wednesday night. There's no doubt in my mind that they wanted it
more than anyone else there, and judging by crowd reaction, a lot of
people agreed. After
interviewing Serj Tankian from System of a Down
recently at Ozzfest, I mentioned Soze in an email as one of the
bands in Atlanta who are "ready-for-primetime players." They
couldn't have proven me more right. Said
vocalist Jamal Hafza:
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"We did not win, and yet I felt so satisfied with our performance. It
always feels good to give the last grain of emotion you have and
mean every word that you write [or] say. I felt like we really
touched people on Wednesday." |
No question. Hafza singled out the band's newest song "Sinistar" as
one of the highlights of the show. With gut-level lyrics such as the
chorus - "You don't like me. You're not allowed to. You can't see
through what's true" - the song describes the feelings of a band
struggling to make a breakthrough which it obviously deserves.
There's no question in my mind that this band will make it, because
on top of overwhelming technical ability, writing talent and
charisma, this band is very, very hungry.
Also, not that this gets you anywhere in the music business, but
these guys are incredibly humble as well. It's a breath of fresh
air, ESPECIALLY in the Atlanta music scene, to see a group of
players as phenomenal as Kaizer Soze which still makes a point to
talk to every fan after a show. And, while a lot of bands bitch about
how unsupportive and cutthroat the scene is, Kaizer Soze is working
to break the cycle and bring a better sense of unity to a city
that's long on talent but short on love.
You'd know the spirit I'm talking about if you had seen their faces
as they were up on stage Wednesday at CJ's (an incredible sounding
club, by the way). Bassist Jahiem Nelson and Drummer Jabaar Rivers,
the best rhythm section in Atlanta as far as I'm aware, shone
individually on solos. But the spotlight was on the collective
effort. When guitarist John Dan stepped to the front of the stage to
deliver the best tone and fretwork I've seen from him, and Hafza
added his intense presence, you knew there was no stopping this
band, win or lose.
"Our performance was, I feel, the best we ever did," said Hafza.
"Basically, we will keep on pushing and pushing until we get in the
door. But we congratulate The Wood."
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