Audio By Carbonatix
Answer: That AwkQuarius gig at Rubber Gloves that we told you about in last week’s Good Friday.
Of course, we didn’t tell you about the Dallas-based hipster-hop outfit known as galleryCat that opened for Pikahsso and Tahiti–mostly because we didn’t know them at the time either…
So how do I know that you weren’t there? Because, sadly, only maybe
two-dozen people showed up–most of which seemed to be entourage
types. But, the paltry turn out didn’t make a shred of difference to
galleryCat’s frontman Angelo Gonzales. He chatted up the crowd between
songs like a pro, and it was obvious he knew how to get even the
smallest crowd engaged.
Admittedly, it may have helped that he started out the night
wearing a giant, mascot-style cat head and paws. But the rapping cat
isn’t a necessary gimmick. The group’s songs stand on their own. Take a listen to “Saysaysay”…
Bonus mp3:
So good.
Like most of galleryCat’s other songs, “Saysaysay” is a light-hearted,
poppy romp about a relationship with a girl. And Gonzales’ lyrics are
spot-on hilarious: “Girl take me by the hand…for now. / I’m not talking
about forever. / I just want to take it slow. / Because we never know
what the future will hold, for us, for us. / You can be my shorty and I
can be your boo.”
Most of the songs are about crushes on nerdy art chicks or new
girlfriends, as well as skinny jeans and dance clubs. But, there’s not
a bunch of braggadocio or I’m-cooler-than-everybody-else-in-the-hood
talk.
“I grew up in Pleasant Grove,”
Gonzales says. “But, I guess I want people know that it’s OK to grow up
in the ‘hood, and not act like it and portray the ‘hood persona. I
mean, not all rappers are arrogant douche bags, and especially on
stage, most just put on that I-don’t-care-what-anybody-says thuggy
persona. But I don’t believe that you have to intimidate the crowd to
get them to have a good time.”
Gonzales says that, over the years, he’s found that audiences at indie
and rock at clubs are more receptive to rap shows when there’s a live
element to the set. So, for the live show, he asked his friends Jonny Mack to play
drums and Rich Williams to play bass. And last weekend, galleryCat
easily grabbed the attention of the mostly ho-hum crowd and had them
singing along.
Even though galleryCat is from Dallas, we don’t need to expect them to
introduce a dance move for us to learn any time soon.
“I use to be
really into the Dallas hip-hop scene,” Gonzales says. “Apparently, now,
we’re supposed to talk about doing something, like doing The Ricky
Bobby, or The Skanky Legg, or about how much people like you, or
something about you. But, that’s not me, I’m more like, ‘I hope they
read my blog. I hope they read my blog.'”
Speaking of the blog, Gonzales just posted a new song “Life Is So Good”
over on galleryCat’s MySpace page.
But, while you’re there, make sure to give a listen to “U Get On My
Nerves”, “Crush” and “Let Me Unwind.”
Not really a stinker in the bunch. And, Gonzales says, this April we should expect galleryCat’s full-length debut, Bi-Polaroid.
Someone really needs to book a hipster-hop show with these guys and
Damaged Good$, and maybe Scuba Team Go or Ian Bangs… and soon please.
