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RJD2 playing Highline Ballroom w/ Break Science & Happy Chichester (pics), continues on tour (dates)

words by BBG, photos by Bryan Reilly

RJD2, not holding an MPC or a turntable
RJD2

[Rjd2] first appeared in a robot suit, introducing himself using voice-processing software before jumping to his rig of turntables, samplers, and computers for a virtuoso half-hour mix of hip-shaking beats and fist-pumping hooks. Beneath a screen showing clips from B-movie horror films, shoot-’em-up gangster flicks, and ’60s mod-rock performances, Rjd2 seamlessly worked in bits from throughout his catalog, from Deadringer‘s “Good Times Roll Pt. 2” to The Colossus‘ “Let There Be Horns.”

But when he brought out a band and picked up an electric guitar for a 15-minute set of funk instrumentals and soul jam songs, the show lost momentum. While perfectly adequate, Rjd2‘s guitar-playing and singing on songs such as “Work It Out” lacked the crunch and euphoria of his DJ set.

The rest of the 90-minute show fared better and moved less jarringly from solo turns to duo work with drummer Sam Brown to a pair of full-band songs with singer Aaron Livingston. It flowed from visceral beats to dubbed-out spacey interludes to focused songs while rarely losing the groove – until the encore. Rjd2‘s range is impressive, but it needn’t include an acoustic guitar ballad. – [A review of the Philly date via Philadelphia Inquirer]

RJD2 played Highline Ballroom on Sunday, March 7th, with Break Science and Happy Chichester as part of an ongoing tour to promote his new album The Collossus on RJD2’s own imprint RJ’s Electrical Connections. Pick it up in various forms.

He recently dropped a video for the track for the very 2001-esque “A Spaceship For Now” which is in addition ot “Let There be Horns” which surfaced earlier this year. Both are viewable below, along with full tour dates and a more pics from Highline Ballroom…

Happy Chichester

Happy Chichester

Happy Chichester

Happy Chichester

Happy Chichester

Happy Chichester

Happy Chichester

Happy Chichester

Happy Chichester

Break Science

Break Science

Break Science

Break Science

Break Science

Break Science

Break Science

Break Science

Break Science

Break Science

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2

RJD2 – “A Spaceship for Now”

RJD2 – “Let There Be Horns”

RJD2 – 2010 TOUR DATES
Mar 9 2010 JerkyÕs Music Hall Providence, RI
Mar 10 2010 La Tulipe Montreal, QC
Mar 11 2010 The Mod Club Toronto, ON
Mar 12 2010 The Magic Stick Detroit, MI
Mar 13 2010 Metro Chicago, IL
Mar 15 2010 Triple Rock Minneapolis, MN
Mar 16 2010 Majestic Theatre Madison, WI
Mar 18 2010 Grog Shop Cleveland, OH
Mar 19 2010 Mr. Smalls Millvale, PA
Apr 2 2010 Bluebird Theatre Denver, CO
Apr 3 2010 Strater Theater Durango, CO
Apr 4 2010 Rythem Room Phoenix, AZ
Apr 5 2010 Casbah San Diego, CA
Apr 6 2010 El Ray Theatre Los Angeles, CA
Apr 7 2010 The Independent San Fransisco, CA
Apr 8 2010 Red Fox Tavern Eureka, CA
Apr 9 2010 Dantes Portland, OR
Apr 10 2010 Nightlight Lounge Bellingham, WA
Apr 11 2010 Neumos Seattle, WA
Apr 14 2010 Kirby Sports Center Easton, Pennsylvania
May 11 2010 Aeronef Club Lille
May 12 2010 Laiterie Strasbourg
May 13 2010 Trabendo Paris
May 14 2010 Les Nuits Botanique Brussels
May 15 2010 Fiddlers Bristol
May 16 2010 Scala London
May 18 2010 Luna Club Kiel
May 19 2010 Cassiopeia Berlin
May 20 2010 Erste Liga Munich
May 21 2010 Bonsoir Bern
May 22 2010 Kaserne Basel
May 23 2010 Stall 6 Zurich