What It Means To Me

I was just reading The Stranger's issue on Obama's victory and the 11 articles they published about what having an African-American President for the first time in American history meant to some of their writers. One article struck me in particular, titled "What James Baldwin Taught Us, the Tears of Jesse Jackson, and the Places Where Hope Is a Menace" by Adam Haslett. The specific passage that threw me into this spiral upward of thought was a reference to the writings of James Baldwin. What it stated was that "black liberation was never just about black people. It was also about whites being liberated from the tyranny of their own white supremacy." At first I wasn't sure how to feel about this because it instantly became the most poignant statement on white privilege I've ever heard. It told me that I am living in and with the tyranny of my own white supremacy. And that kind of hurts in a way. Not to the extent that I want to proclaim an end to racism a la Karl Rove, but rather that this tyranny still exists, and that despite my best efforts to be conscious of the way I choose to live, I still have this looming knowledge that this said tyranny prevails around me. So I suppose what I'm getting at is that what Barack Obama becoming the 44th President of the United States of America means to me is that while I know this has been one huge progressive step for all of America, I am hoping that it might just be one small step toward the liberation from the tyranny that is my own white supremacy. The most important thing of all though is that I can hope once again.



--Aaron T.

The Cornerstone

last night we rocked the Cornerstone, which is a monthly hip-hop night at Faire Gallery Cafe in Seattle. We were the music showcase of the night, which meant before us were a grip of spoken word poets, local emcees, and a cipher session. We had a blast from start to finish. everyone who blessed the mic was real dope and everyone in the spot was real friendly and excited we had come up. As for our set... you gotta know we killed it. shouts to everyone in the front jumping with me from start to finish. shouts to Diztortion, Renaissance, DJ Rise, and everyone else who made us feel at home last night.



the aaron T fan club



jyri getting down

October 18 @ The Viaduct

We had never played or been to the Viaduct and its now definitely one our favorite venues. Reminds me a lot of a spot in Anchorage I used to rock called Bitoz. My first shows were the trying to rap for punk/screamo rock kids in between sets and generally my sets crashed and burned. But I was 19 and I didn't give a fuck (shouts to Hellen (the downstairs) and Al for letting me get on their stages). So when we got to this graffiti'ed out falling apart spot there was literally nobody their besides us and Godfelt Static. We watched their set and it was really legit. Their guitarist is crazy (check the fake bullet wholes in his shirt)



When we started playing it was literally us, the sound guys, and our few friends, so we were just fucking around, Jyri and Evan dancing and jumping on and off stage, me doing my usual Matisyaho meets Ra Scion, but also jumping on and off amps. Gradually a lot more people showed up but we kept bullshitting and jamming out. We got an ill ovation from the crowd and played FaDunk again as an encore. Look for our future sets to me a lot more loose and casual, cause we had a blast and got rave reviews.



our next show is November 1 at the Fairre Gallery Cafe in Seattle. peace,
Zach (Understatement)

Whats Going On?

Just when the Internet was getting boring... myspace is hella 05, facebook's make-over sucks, and I have no idea what twitter even is (although it gets mentioned on the cnn and msnbc along with the other two) Enter blogspot. I check the massline blogs from time to time and I like the ones that URB sponsors, so here i am at a library putting my time to good use.

10th & Commerce is a hip-hop/funk/indie rock (fuck genres) band from Tacoma, WA. We have a free EP online (http://www.mediafire.com/?obcgyc9mtce) and we play shows around town. Were a hip-hop band in that I'm an emcee and the only vocalist but I dont think the other guys even listen to hip-hop. We all have hella different backgrounds (guitarist is from Finland hadn't heard of hip-hop until he roomed with Grynch last year...j/k) so i was thinking if we had a blog it be cool cause we could all post different thoughts on music and politics and pop culture and our lives and whatever else.

We'll also be posting our music, pictures, and video from our shows and travels.

A few things to note before getting to know the band-

-Evan (bassist) has the sexiest baritone voice you've ever heard in your life, so read his posts with a Barry white voice in your head

-Jyri (guitarist) listens to European Death Metal and watches South Park all day, so if you don't know what he is talking about sometimes were in the same boat

-Aaron (drummer) IS NOT FROM SEATTLE he grew up in SeaTac which is in fact just south of Seattle and I'll admit a very nice little town. However, Aaron does know a lot about Seattle and is an avid Blue Scholars and Death Cab fan, but do not be fooled, townfolk he is not.

ill be back tomorrow to post pictures, from tonight's show, were rocking the Viaduct with Nasty Left, The Outfit, and Godfed Static. should be legend.

-Zach (Rockwell Powers)