The DJ tag team will spin records exclusively from the hip hop pioneer’s vast collection.
DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist have plotted a five-week trip to bring Afrika Bambaataa’s 40,000 records across North America.
The Renegades of Rhythm tour was initially intended to be a mix by the two DJs, as suggested by art curator Johan Kugelberg, who participated in the transferral of Bambaataa’s collection to Cornell University last year. But the DJ duo decided to expand the concept into a full tour, kicking off on September 1 in Toronto before journeying through the U.S. and ending up in Vancouver on October 9.
“This has never been done before, definitely not on this scale,” said DJ Shadow in a very SHOUTY statement. “They’re HIS records, with his blessings. This isn’t just ANY copy of ‘X’ breakbeat, it’s THE copy, THE copy that started everything. Not just any records, the MASTER OF RECORDS’ records.”
For the shows, Shadow and Cut Chemist will work with six turntables, two mixers, a drum machine and several pieces of vintage gear to enable real-time sampling of records.
“The program will be multifaceted,” added Shadow. “Bambaataa as artist, exploring the influence of his classics like ‘Planet Rock’; Bambaataa as collector, and the genre-defining breaks he discovered; and Bambaataa as peacemaker and force for social change. He influenced an entire generation worldwide, so we feel a great obligation to get it right.”
Bambaataa himself has approved the tour, stating: “I call on all who love hip-hop to come out, see them, hear them. My story is our history in DJing.” [via Rolling Stone]
Tour dates:
09/01 Toronto, ON – Guvernment
09/03 Boston, MA – House of Blues
09/04 New York, NY – Irving Plaza
09/06 Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts
09/08 Washington, DC – The Fillmore Silver Spring
09/09 Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage
09/11 Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte
09/12 Atlanta, GA – The Loft At Center Stage
09/14 Orlando, FL – House of Blues
09/16 New Orleans, LA – House of Blues
09/18 Austin, TX – ACL Live
09/19 Dallas, TX – House of Blues
09/20 Houston, TX – House of Blues
09/22 Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom
09/23 Chicago, IL – House of Blues
09/24 Minneapolis, MN – Skyway Theater
09/26 Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
09/27 Aspen, CO – Belly Up Aspen
09/29 Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas
10/01 San Diego, CA – House of Blues
10/02 Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
10/03 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
10/07 Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
10/08 Seattle, WA – Neptune
10/09 Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
