Paid Dues preview

Paid Dues Tour
Abbey Pub, Chicago
Wednesday, July 25, 2007

With the exception of a few possible spots on the Vans Warped Tour, indie hip-hop acts are pretty much on their own when it comes to touring the states in the summertime. But thanks to down-to-earth MC Murs and marketing company Guerrilla Union, some of the most respected D.I.Y. artists in hip-hop won’t have to deal with shifty booking agents this season. “We don’t get to play the Pepsi tours or the Verizon Wireless tours so we have to definitely establish ourselves,” says Murs, the mastermind behind the Paid Dues Independent Hip Hop Festival.

Note: This show has been moved to the Abbey Pub from Congress Theatre. All tickets will be honored.

Originally just a one-day event, Paid Dues is now a 13-show tour, which kicks off in Chicago and will feature performances by Felt (Murs and Slug & Ant of Atmosphere), Brother Ali, Mr. Lif, Sage Francis, Cage, Living Legends, and other established indie acts — all of whom have crossed paths at one time or another. “I didn’t bring anybody on this tour who hasn’t paid their dues,” says Murs. “We’ve been in the same war. We may not be best friends, but we all know each other.”

While Paid Dues will mostly go down in outdoor venues to give it a true festival feel, Chicago’s show incidentally will be held inside the aging confines of the Congress. Even if this defeats the intended vibe, you really can’t beat the lineup here. Everyman MCs Slug and Murs are the obvious highlight, with their animated tag-team chemistry and Ant behind the turntables. But the livewire spirit of Mr. Lif and the intense, punk rock-esque introspections of Cage will also make for an unpredictably entertaining afternoon. Moreover this may be the only chance in Chicago to see so many subterraneous stars on one stage.

— Max Herman

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly