Stnnng, Kill the Vultures 'Gonna Raise Hell' at Schubas Tonight

By Sarah Dahnke in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 15, 2007 3:42PM

If you like hip-hop -- the type of hip-hop that makes everyone jump up and down and yell out a chorus in synch, or the type that includes lyrics about cars and money and hoes or, ahem, finding out your one-night stand's husband is having an affair with a gay minister -- then tonight's show at Schubas is not for you.

Kill the Vultures, who are opening for fellow Minneapolis(ans?)(ites?) Stnnng, are classified as a hip-hop group because the world hasn't quite figured out where else to place them. The group, a reincarnation of Oddjobs, which toured supporting Atmosphere on the Seven's Travels (2003) tour, made a name for itself in the upper Midwest indie rap world. After parting with one of its DJs and revamping their sound, they reappeared in 2005 with a self-titled debut, full of beats that sound like they were born in an opium den and lyrics so chocked full of fiery visuals they may as well be copied straight from the book of Revelations.

Tonight's show will include selections from that 2005 album, in addition to songs from the group's newer release The Careless Flame. Audience members may also be able to glimpse at a few samples from the side project lyricist Crecent Moon and beat master Anatomy have been composing, which includes the questionable combo of rap and Sun Ra samples.

KTV's unconventional take on rap makes them hard to pair with other bands when putting together a bill, but opening for Stnnng makes sense. The headliners are noisy, arty and theatrical in a violent, yet attractive-at-the-same-time sort of way, and as lead singer Chris Besinger speaks into the mic (what he does could hardly be called singing), he summons demons you didn't know you wanted to meet until he opened his mouth. On stage, he's the quintessential "bad decision" that every girl makes.

Chicago-based Red Eyed Legends and Robust round out the bill to make one disorderly, raucous evening on stage. It's one of those nights where it's hard to predict who will be more soaked with beer at the end of the night -- the bands or the audience?

Stnnng and Kill the Vultures play at 8 p.m. tonight at Schubas. Red Eyed Legends and Robust open.

Kill the Vultures (top) photo by Andy Hardman.

Stnnng photo (bottom) by Dave Storberg.