Arrested Development, July 18, World Café Live

The Web site for the award-winning alternative weekly, the Philadelphia City Paper.

options

Arrested Development, July 18, World Café Live

POSTED: Friday, July 27, 2007, 6:06 PM

Filed Under: Music

I challenge you to a game of horseshoes.

Lord, we’ve all been real stressed lately. So much so, that some of us might want to be taken to another place. Which is why I gotta give thanks for Arrested Development having come through town the other night. An hour and a half of this Atlanta group’s “positive hip-hop” is enough to make anybody to forget the world’s problems — for an hour and a half.

Such was the case Wednesday when the bride and I walked downstairs at World Café Live after a nice little meal upstairs. (Our first time there, we can’t wait to return.) Fourteen years removed from their Best New Artist Grammy, they were already halfway into their set, and halfway into "Tennessee."

It only took about 20 seconds for the arrival of the type of ear-to-ear smile reserved for those instances when you run into an old friend you haven’t seen in ages. Because, quite frankly, that’s what this band feels like. Especially in a venue so small that the mic is pretty much optional. Making matters better was the fact that Speech not only sounded as if he hadn’t aged a day, but the perpetual-motion dancing-and-singing set featured none other than Baba Oje. Known to many as The Old Guy Who Dances on Stage, Baba had his throne off to the side, getting up to groove whenever the mood struck.

Down on the floor, the mood struck early and often among as diverse a concert crowd as I’ve seen. The only problem: After an encore of (my personal favorite) "Mama’s Always on Stage" and "People Everyday," they called it a night, leaving the rest of us to return to our daily stresses, only after sticking around to walk to the stage’s edge and talk to every last fan who stuck around for a handshake, and positive conversation.

Posted by brian hickey @ 6:06 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Next Story: PJ Harvey, Oct. 10, 2004, Electric Factory

Comments (0)

Q&A with SHARI SOLANIS: "The goal isn't pornography"
What we're trying to do this weekend
SEXY TIME Q&A: I've never had an orgasm during sex with a man — and I'm 30!
NOW SEE THIS: Transit cop arrests marijuana activist for alleged disorderly conduct.
CONCERT REVIEW: Primus (3D & quadraphonic sound) @ The Tower 10/17
Q&A with Tony Goldwyn: "Life is gray, and relationships are, too"
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: The Archbishop meets the Geator, the Mayor goes suit shopping, Le Bec Fin fin.
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Indian fare rules, Dunder Mifflin lives on, Tom Jones is a god
Q&A with Goon’s Seann William Scott
SWIMMING HOLES: Some of our favorite places to get wet

About this blog

Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

Follow Critical Mass editors Patrick Rapa and Emily Guendelsberger on Twitter:

@mission2denmark | @emilygee

Search this blog:

Topics:

Blog archives:

May
April
March

February
January

Past Archives: