Input Featuring Satyre and The Unsinkable Leslie Brown Show Review

Posted by: Dave Berry | Mar 30, 09

It is no secret that Input and Satyre like to mash out some brews. All you have to do is show up to one of their shows before they go on and observe their off-stage activities which usually consist of blowing their drink tickets before there are more than ten people in the venue. I've been kicking around skateboards with Satyre since our days (more like daze) in high school, long before he was one of those rap-dudes, and I've been watching UFC fights with Input for more than a year now. So despite being in their social circles I can take a step back and honestly say that these guys know what's up with making the rad underground hip-hop that all of you little kids so love to listen to. There was only one element missing in their live shows; sex appeal. Before you even have time to joke about them booking shows at gay bars I present to you The Unsinkable Leslie Brown. She is the latest addition to Fameless Entertainment and she is far, far more than a token backing-vocal chick. This show was her debut and I was very excited to see what she could add to the mix. I was not disappointed in the slightest. It was more like awe.

The night got started at Satyre's apartment. I decided to head into the show with the band to avoid paying a cover charge. I showed up as soon as I could have after work and was greeted by Satyre and Input, but they were out of alcohol so we quickly set out to get some. As we walked into the alley behind Satyre's apartment we pulled a funds check and Input freestyled a fake cr[uack-deal just as one of Satyre's neighbors walked by. That was goddamn hilarious. We decided that we should kill time at the bar up the street instead of slugging down a pint of whiskey. After a quick pitcher it was time to roll down to Owsley's for set-up and sound check. I have been in Owsley's before, many years ago when it was called Maximillion, which I was informed was a gay bar. For the record I had no idea it was a gay bar at the time and I really don't know why I'm putting that down for you. In any event, Owsley's is not a gay bar anymore, it's a sick-ass spot to check out some radass music on 21st and Lawrence in Denver.

In the down time after sound check and before show time I nailed down Input for exactly two questions over a smoke in between rounds at the bar that I felt would be good for interview purposes, so here they are:

Dave Berry: What was the most wasted you've ever been on stage?

Input: I'd have to go to July [08] in Seattle. we started doing, oh man I wish I remember the name of them, but it was like, a shot of tequilla, and then a shot of, you know, a shot of the sangria. So you do the shot of tequilla, slam the shot of sangria, and then you chase it with a full beer. We did like, I don't know how many of these, like five or six before we went on stage...

DB: DAMN!

Input: ...And I got up there and it was just like I didn't know how to speak English anymore. I was just holding a micorphone. I was basically an inanimate object with a microphone just dancing around forever. It actually turned out to be pretty entertaining for the audience. I was just like "What's going on?" And then I had two glasses of just whiskey straight on stage, so I was just like the biggest wreck ever. But it turned out pretty well. We had a little hand-held video camera so I was just video-taping myself and everybody on stage. It was pretty ridiculous. I'd have to say those shots did me pretty good.

DB: You got that shit on youtube?

Input: Not yet. I have from that whole tour I've got probably a solid, I'd say, I don't know, 30 hours of footage that I haven't even edited yet. Just massive amounts of crap. I haven't had time to sit down and go through it all.

DB: How'd you guys get hooked up with Leslie Brown?

Input: School. It's kind of a funny story. I started a program at CU like three years ago. I was in a history of literature class and she was in there with me and I sat next to her for the whole semester, had no idea who she was, and at the end of the semester we had to do these projects... she transposed an entire J.S. Bach piece, and she transposed it into a modern jazz piece. It was like the most amazing thing that I've ever seen. And I'm sitting there and I'm like "holy shit! That was off the hook," but I never said anything to her then. And then two years pass and we had another class together and I sat next to her then and we were kind of like "what up?" and it was like "I remember you from this and that" and I gave her my albums and she was down so I was like "Let's start working on some shit together because I remember how amazing you were on keys so let's get down to something" and she was more than down to do it and it's been just awesome ever since.

*Author's note: Input has assembled a live band that will be debuting for the "Robot, Ninja, Pirate Party" at the Hi-Dive sometime in March. Look it up online if this article gets posted before that.

The slated openers were this group that calls themselves "1984." They bothered to show up about 20 minutes after their set was supposed to start. I don't like these guys, and not just for their unprofessional show up times. Basically, they suck. All the while Satyre and I were knocking them back. Leslie Brown was getting a bit shook regarding Satyre's level of intoxication, so I reassured her many times that he could handle it.

After 1984 got themselves off stage it was finally time for the main event. Input promised an "entirely new live set." It wasn't quite that, but The Unsinkable Leslie Brown brought some serious heat to the stage. As I mentioned before this was her big debut, but there was no way to tell. She straight-up killed it. Input and Satyre ran through their bangers while Leslie worked into the set letting loose hot vocals, then she broke out with a keyboard solo that rivaled the keyboard player from the Crown City Rockers. This chick can play and sing. It's no wonder Input wrote a song called "Fire" with Leslie backing him because she spits hot fire. Oh and she was rocking around the stage in booty shorts. Rad.

When all is said and done, those Fameless Entertainment kids might be holding a royal flush when it comes to the hip-hop. 'Nuff said.

Check out Input on Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/inputhiphop

Satyre is on there too at http://www.myspace.com/satyrandthevelvetmeatcurtains. Make sure to not overlook Satyre. Eventually he'll get a new album out and eventually I'll get around to giving him solo coverage.

It seems that http://www.famelessentertainment.com is busted at the time of this writing but give it a try anyway.

Shred hard,
Dave Berry