Shad K in the Capital (07/01/10)

The tent was full of plastic white chairs, and these chairs were full of mostly middle-aged people enjoying a peaceful rest in the shade after braving the Canada Day crowds and sun. Move in Shad supporters. As one of Canada's premier emcees, as always backed by DJ T-Lo, as well as a friend holding down bass and keys, took to the mic the young-uns began streaming in. The space immediately in front of the stage filled up with teens and twenty-somethings bobbing along to Shad's conscious-rap. As a dynamite performer he used his hour to entertain the birthday revelers drawing from his strong, recent effort TSOL. Included in the new ones he spit single Yaa, I Get It like the barrage that it is, but also slowed it up with Rose Garden and introduced himself with Good Name. Being a free show he relied heavily on popular crowd-pleasers like I Don't Like To and The Old Prince Still Live at Home. While a brief sun-shower fell on those patrons overflowing from the tent Shad was possessed to freestyle about it and his bald head at the end of Rock to It. The most rockin' song from TSOL came near the end of the show (We, Myself and I) before closing out with the roller-coaster of I Get Down and Get Up. Though the closer holds an uplifting message to go out on the crowd wouldn't have it and begged for more, receiving Keep Shining in return.