Posted on 07/07/2008
This past Saturday Brooklyn's Fort Greene neighborhood hosted the kick-off to the Afro-Punk Festival (click for a full schedule), a week long event filled with concerts, films, out-door festivities, live painting, a full on skate park, and more.  The afro-punkers transformed an empty parking lot situated next to the Brooklyn Academy of Music into a skate park and concert area, and throughout the day skaters and bmxers were seen gliding, twisting, flipping, (and occasionally falling) as bands performed on the stage. The lineup featured Millsted, Shawn Hewitt, The Apes, Afrika Bambaataa, and Janelle Monae, but it was clear most of the crowd was drawn to watch Ms. Monae.  And she did not disappoint, except for the short nature of her set. After four songs, just as the crowd was really starting to get into the show, it was over.  Thankfully she came out for an encore, and completed her set by diving into the audience and riding the wave as her fans held her up, and all the while Kellindo was shredding away, offering up a sick guitar solo.  Our man Terrence Jennings was on-hand to capture some flicks from the day.  Afterward, the party moved over to Williamsburg's Supreme Trading, where Bambaataa had everyone's booty shaking for hours as he held it down on the 1s and 2s.  We were also treated to live performance by punk band Whole Wheat Bread who hyped the eager crowd, creating a frenzied mosh pit full of energy and sweaty fun.  The band released their first record entitled Minority Rules in '05 on Fighting Records, and have now started to make some serious noise working with Lil John on his anticipated solo album, Crunk Rock. If you haven't checked for them yet, get on this early, these kids are sick.