Ultramagnetic MCs / Dr Octagon, New York, NY, July 11, 1997

This show took place during the era when hip hop shows had a reputation (and oftentimes reality) of being hit or miss affairs, with late artists, middling sound, stage full of posse (out numbering band members)...off-kilter, chaotic and unpredictable. On a good night, exciting.

Guess who else can be described in much the same way? Ultramagnetic and Dr Octagon lead man, Kool Keith. For someone who never conforms to the status quo, Keith delivered every hip hop gig cliche on this night.

The old man's memory is fuzzy on specifics, but broad strokes:

Hot Summer night in New York City
Slightly edgy and anxious long line to get into the club
Long ass wait for the music to start
A small army of b-boys and hype men on the stage

And Keith, my goodness...

Kool Keith was riding a high coming off the 1996 release (and 1997 major label reissue) of the Dr Octagon album, Dr. Octagonecologyst. In fact, the night of this show he was supposed to be on stage performing as the perverse Doc Oct less than 10 miles away, at Downing Stadium on Randalls Island, as part of the 1997 edition of Lollapalooza. Keith "disappeared" for a few weeks earlier in the Summer causing him to miss the tour. Never did hear a good accounting of what happened there...

This show was Keith and Ultramags co-founders and torch-carriers Ced Gee and Moe Love. There was enough of an Old School and hipster contingent to demand Ultramag tracks but the place really lit up for any Doctor Octagon jams. So much so that Keith-as-Doctor Octagon rapped Dr. Octagonecologyst's "Blue Flowers" twice.

A random 2:34 chunk of this show appears on a 1997 CD put out by the Ultramags called, B-Side Companion. Track name? "Live at Tramps (July 11, ’97)". The passage is about as interesting as its title but it does capture the spontaneity of the night, expressed through a zany Keith freestyle.