Co-Authors:Akeema Duff and Savannah West
The Early Show is held every first and third Friday at Union EAV. The Early Show is an intimate show that highlights up and coming artists typically of the indie genre. The beauty of The Early Show is that it is not limited to just indie artists. Artists that could be classified as rap, funk, soul, or R&B, just to name a few, made appearances. When you first walk into the Union, where The Early Show is hosted, you walk into a bar type of setting. To the left, there is a bar that extends roughly 30 feet. A wide variety of alcohol is served.
The space is very open and flows very well. The actual show takes place upstairs in a very intimate setting that allows for the audience to really connect with the performers. Don’t let the intimacy fool you into thinking that the show may be calm or even remotely boring. This show got just as lit as if there were 20,000 people in the room. All that energy in a smaller space makes for a thrilling experience for both the audience and the performer. It is almost as if you are on stage with the artist!
The audience was very positive and receptive to the artists. There was a genuine sense of love and admiration for each artist that performed. Everyone seemed to know everyone, and nobody is opposed to getting to know you or making you feel comfortable. One of the key things that set The Early Show apart from mainstream shows and music is that everyone is truly all about the music. There are no games and no gimmicks. The artists come as they are which allows the crowd to fall in love with the actual artistry of the music. As opposed to what has been popularized in today’s music scene which seems to be based off what an artist may have or possess instead of what they can do artistically.
One of the standout artists that caught my attention was the dynamic duo that is Queendom. This rapping and singing party of two consists of two friends who met at Georgia State University where they each formerly attended. When asked what they would categorize their music as they described it as Hip Hop. Shockingly the group has only been performing together for six months. From the way they vibed with each other and had the crowd moving, you would never be able to tell. They each overcame their fear of performing, to do what appears to be their calling: music. They want to be inspiring through their music and hope to empower others.
The group is versatile! Not only do they sing and rap, they also produce their own music. The group has high aspirations; they see themselves going straight to the top and so do we, here at The Odyssey. Queendom wasn’t the only standout act that performed. P.U.R.E, a Brooklyn native who now resides in Atlanta performed with his group SQUADGLOBAL. Which consists of P.U.R.E, Kaedus Hines, John AVE, and others. When they hit the stage almost everyone from downstairs came upstairs to watch the show. The energy was amazing and the crowd was loving every minute of It! P.U.R.E and the squad he rolls with are rappers, and good ones at that. When our team caught up with him and another rapper YODA, we got to know a lot more about the man behind the name. The P in P.U.R.E stands for passionate. As for the rest “Ill figure it out as I grow up” he said when asked about the rest of his name, which is a dope concept if you ask me. P.U.R.E, much like The Early Show, itself is all about the music and making good art. The rapper compared today's rap scene In Atlanta to the New York rap scene in the 90s. “The opportunity to make music is so easy in Atlanta. In the 90s in New York, if you couldn’t rap they would tell you to get the fuck out.” He has a point. There are a lot of gimmicks and temporary rappers who are here today and gone tomorrow. Microwave rappers who are put on because they can sell a single and not because they can actually rap.
The Early Show was full of versatile acts. Whit of the band, Peachtree Dish is no exception. Whit has been performing for about 7 years, and is a frequent performer at The Early Show. Whit’s silky smooth voice cascaded over the horns and piano he was singing over to create the perfect blend of a soulful funky harmony. When asked about how he maintains his voice he replied, “I mostly just sing in my car, maybe the occasional chorus warm up but mostly singing in my car. If there is silence I will use my voice to fill that void.” Must be nice to be able to sing in your car and be on key! Whit’s mother was a musician so I guess you could say it runs in the family. Some of his major influences are Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Talking Heads, a bit of Pink Floyd, and his mother.
These were only a few of the artists that graced the stage at The Early Show. The Early Show was jam packed with talented artists from singers, to rappers to bands. The Early Show is honestly and truly the definition of chill vibes while at the same time keeping it lit.
