Updated 23:50, June the 4th, 2009
Back to their Roots
MUSIC. Plenty of heads turned when Philly-grown the Roots debuted as the house band on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” this March. And while it did seem a little strange for one of the premier hip-hop bands to be backing up the guy from “Weekend Update” — or, sure, “Fever Pitch” — one thing was perfectly natural about the arrangement: They’d be playing live every night.
“We really got our feet wet in the game of live performance doing festivals,” says drummer Questlove (aka Ahmir Thompson) while on a “Fallon” rehearsal break. “We ran away to Europe in 1994. All we did was go from festival to festival to festival. It’s a whole different mentality there. You better be good — they don’t play that celebrity crap.”
Last summer, the Roots brought their love of live music to Philly with the Roots Picnic, which is going down again this Saturday. And while last year was an all-star (if not unbelievably hot and sweaty) affair, this time is even bigger.
“The lineup has a lot to do with our personal relationships with the groups,” says Quest. “The Black Keys are doing us a definite solid by doing this show.” They’re cashing in other “favors” with Public Enemy, TV on the Radio, Santigold, Antibalas, Asher Roth and Kid Cudi, to name a few.
Of course, this is more than a casual jam with friends. The picnic’s ambitious centerpiece — a live performance of the entirety of Public Enemy’s “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” with Antibalas and the Roots — has the ever-cool Questlove a little shook. “We’re trying to find a way to bring this together live in a way that hasn’t been done before,” he says. “I’m way nervous. I’m not going to come at you blasé, like I can do this in my sleep.”
But all that? Just the main course, kids. Picnic side dishes this weekend include an afterparty at Fluid where Questlove will be spinning a Prince tribute. “The thing I’m more excited about are the side shows,” he says. “The picnic will draw the people, but the real spirit will be the surrounding events. Really, I would like this to be weeklong.” Bring it.
