Beastie Boys/Talib Kweli 10/07/2004

On a crisp and chilly November night,the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) were placing a show in the southern Quebec skies. At Montreal’s Molson Center, The Beastie Boys were up to fireworks of their own. MCA (Adam Yauch), Mike D (Mike Diamond) and Ad-Rock (Adam Horovitz), proved that at the cusp of 40, adolescent charm and energy aren’t fading without a good fight. Aside from MCA’s gray mane, it’s hard to believe these guys were doing it up at a time when Magic and Bird were ruling the court and when you knew all the words to "Paul Revere" by heart.

In support of the trio’s first album in six years, To The 5 Boroughs, The Beastie Boys have returned with a more focused hip-hop angling. Sporting fly green and yellow track suits, the trio along with trusty Mix Master Mike, took the stage and let the rhymes bounce, getting it all started with "Root Down," followed by "Sure Shot." Mixing it up through a variety of free-styling numbers - "Triple Trouble," "The New Style," "Pass The Mic" - the Beastie Boys made the microphone their early instrument of choice. Transforming the words into unison riffs and choruses, the crowd would triumphantly throw their arms and voices to the outburst of each stanza ending rhyme. Mike D and Ad-Rock would jump around in unison, working the stage with their ill moves and smirky smiles, while Mix Master Mike proved to be the best at what he does.

In the late 80’s, the Beastie Boy sound matured into a spaced out funk collage, perhaps building off the funky samplings of Paul’s Boutique. After a solo spot for Mix Master Mike to scratch and break it down, the trio reappeared with two other musicians as the stage revolved. Looking like a shady Wedding/Bar Mitzvah band, while sporting old fashioned tuxes, the Beastie Boys broke into a short instrumental set of funky favorites from the Check Your Head/Ill Communication Years.

Revisting their hardcore roots, this instrumental set showed the Beastie Boys' instrumental versatility, while getting deep in minimalist groove/funk. "Sambrosa" got things grooving right, followed by "Lighten Up" and "Something’s Got To Give." Featuring Mike D on drums, Ad-Rock on guitar, MCA on bass, a hyperactive keyboard player and a chillin’ percussionist these instrumental fireworks could have been a show within itself, perhaps covering more songs from the instrumental The In Sound From Way Out!. But like any arena show, curfews and leaving enough time to appease the masses allows for creative shortages.

For the third mini set, the Beastie Boys appeared with orange t-shirts threaded with French sayings: MCA had "Bon Bon Sucré," Mike D had "C'est L'fun," Adrock had "Je t'aime," and Mix Master Mike had "Grey Pupon." Kicking their third mini set into hometown gear, their post 9-11 opus - "An Open Letter TO NYC" got things pumped up. With a chorus that chimes off New York’s boroughs – "Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten/ From the Battery to the top of Manhattan" - like a subway intercom, the Beastie Boys wore their Big Apple pride boastfully.

Later in the set, they apologized to their Canadian fans for the past four years and the next four years of President Bush. Dropping the bomb on such oldies as "So Whatcha Want," "Brass Monkey" and a butchered "Paul Revere" – that either the band wanted the crowd to sing, but didn’t – or the band themselves forgot. MCA left stage to high five fans in the first couple rows, before settling into his tough guy gravely rap parts in "Paul Revere."

For the encore the trio showed up out of nowhere on the opposite side of the arena, on a mini stage behind the soundboard to peform "Intergalactic. " Just before a throng of fans congretated on the back stage, the boys moved back to the big stage for versions of "Gratitude" and the finale – "Sabotage."

Opener Talib Kweli kept the crowd pumped with with his no-nonsense hip-hop, following a silly dog show pre- opening act. Featuring just Kweli and a talented DJ who was carrying the mother-load of beats to the rapper’s vocals, the energy never dimmed through versions of "The Blast," Kanye West’s "Get Em High," earlier work with Mos Def and songs off his renowned 2004 release – The Beatuiful Struggle. The crowd let their arms fly for the opener, leaving the Beastie Boys to do damage with their prime PT, and to show Canada how hip-hop is done NYC style.

Setlist