Karsh Kale was awesome! I just got back a couple of minutes ago. The first act was great too, an unnamed DJ (local I'm assuming) who rocked the house. Too bad the house contained five people, only one of whom was dancing. The dancing guy was so cool: most of the time he danced by strolling around in a circle. The only part of him that was dancing was his arms. It was like hipster walking meditation. I wish I had gotten that DJ's name. I'd love to know if he has a regular gig around town.
Kale took the stage around 10:30, not too bad since he was supposed to go on at 10. It was just him DJing/remixing, no band. Which bummed me out at first, but he did an amazing set. I wish I could get a set list! The only tracks I recognized were "GK2" from Kale's last album, and "Bhangra Fever" by Midival Punditz (red hot remix too). Which are both tracks I love. But the entire set was that good, I just didn't recognize the rest of it.
I felt like an idiot for not taking my camera. I thought it would be packed like Stereolab was a couple months ago, and I wouldn't be able to set up any decent shots, so taking the camera would be a waste. Okay, so it wasn't crowded. In fact calling the audience "sparse" would be generous. I guess I have a distorted idea of what is a big name act in these parts, because I seriously thought Ming & FS and Karsh Kale would draw tons of people. (As Georg pointed out, it doesn't bode well for them or artists like them coming to Chapel Hill again. Unless they add a mopey guy with a guitar whining about his love life to the lineup.) So anyway, the crowd was pretty thin and I could easily have gone up front and gotten some nice close-ups. I so need to get a new bag and just take my camera everywhere. Every time I leave it behind I end up wishing I had it.
I didn't stay for Ming & FS, who came on around 11:30. It was getting late for me, and I'd had a long day, and I'd really gone to see Karsh Kale anyway. Ming & FS are good but they're not my favorites. And also, I am a poopyhead. Georg walked me to my car (what a gentleman) and went back for the rest of the show. So I guess he'll tell me in the morning that Kale went back on and the three of them did the show to end all shows, and then I'll wish I had stayed. But actually not; I'm really tired and I'm glad I came home.
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Ming + FS played for about 90 min. Lotsa hardcore jungle, heavy duty breaks, and mad scratchin. High points included the mash-up of "Immigrant's Song" and "Intergalactic" and the Bush/Cheney dance throwdown to "Jungle Boogie." Kale did not come out and play with Ming + FS. Towards the end of the the show I spotted him nearby in the crowd (well, okay, "crowd" is a bit of an exaggeration) but as I was about to go over and tell him I enjoyed the set (and that he should come back with his band) M+FS ripped into a particularly good number and I stopped to listen during which stop Kale walked away. I saw him outside the club as I was leaving but he was talking to a couple of people and by that time I was tired and just wanted to go home.
So if the guy who was dancing was so cool, why didn't you join him?
Because I'm so uncool :)