Shad K.
W/ The Runaway, OkayCity
October 19, 2007
Call The Office

Every once in a while, you happen upon a live show will take your brain and pull it in so many directions that you feel dizzy, disoriented and exhilarated all at once. This show is inspirational, insightful, humorous and provoking, and leaves each listener with a different perception, feeling or purpose to consider beyond the confines of the venue walls. Anyone attending the Shad K album release party Friday night at Call the Office can attest to the unpretentious power of word and presence, exhibited by the artists who spoke-lyrically and instrumentally-during their time on stage.

The Runaway, the first hip hop act, began their set with a packed house already eager to absorb the vibes about to be shaped onstage. With Run’s poetic lyrical flow, accompanied by an accomplished band and complementary female melody, the band set a very chill, conscious tone to the evening: notable tracks delved into subjects of woman’s rights and a catchy interpretation of Cindy Lauper's ”Time After Time.”

OkayCity, the next group, amped up the crowd with their decidedly raw, movement-filled set. Their sound was reminiscent of Swollen Members at their most angry, and they pulled off this driven style with ease. Finally, Relic and crew took the stage and brought a socially aware, heavy beat to draw the crowd into the headlining act.

When Shad took the stage, acoustic guitar and live band at the ready, it was already very evident that the prince had arrived. The artist exuded humble confidence and poise as he and his band smoothed out a chill beat from his first album, complete with an accompanying beat boxer to round out the flow. By his second song, Shad had already given solo time and props to his backup bassist and drummer; a very refreshing move to draw deserved attention to his bandmates so early on in his set.

Shad addressed the crowd many times during his set, from getting the audience to wave their hands to a call and response vibe on “I Don’t Really Like To;” not a difficult task, since many members of the crowd were already singing along, moving to the beat or trying at any opportunity to get acknowledgement from the MC. Shad and his band seemed to instinctually know exactly when to slow down and speed up the melody or stop for an ad lib, and although this was most likely rehearsed, the fluidity of these intervals was so seamless it was hard not to be impressed. Midway through the show, Shad dropped a freestyle about his roots in London and his family here-including his parents, present at the show-and his genuine appreciation for his hometown, relatives and friends was palpable in his words. Shad’s lyrics were increasingly socially descriptive: from living at home with no money to the diluted nature of commercial hip hop, his words had such relevancy to society on many levels that it was very easy for the listener to fully immerse in the lyrical content.

Toward the end of the show-which ran over an hour, yet felt like a mere twenty minutes-Shad offered the spotlight over to 2007 DMC Canada Supremacy Champion DJ TLO, for have a hefty solo showcase of his talent. TLO blazed through a mash-up of genres, including old school hip hop, electronica and jazz, and his intensity and talent brought the audience to an appreciative animation at this unexpected interlude.

If there’s one thing that made Shad stand out amongst his peers, it was his confidence in his own stage presence. His facial expressions, humor, and tendency to break out into huge grins while rhyming showed that he genuinely loved every minute of his experience onstage, and it created a persona that felt very real and approachable. When the show ended, there was a contented atmosphere as the audience dispersed-this was truly an evening of evocative, inspirational music that would not be forgotten by anyone who experienced it.
Shad’s new album, The Old Prince, is available in stores and online now.

- Kate Davis