Digable Planets lit it up at Cervantes last Saturday night.  The infamous trio of Doodlebug, Butterfly and Ladybug really came correct with their trip-hop styled raps, sublime messaging and laid back jazzy vibe.  For a trio that is almost thirty years in the making, their music sounded as hip and current as anything on the airwaves today.

First of all, hats off to bringing a live band, it really makes a difference!  (And us musicians really appreciate it too).  Digable was backed by a pretty tight rhythm section consisting of drums, bass, keys & guitar.  I can’t say who they all were, except for Seattle drummer Conrad Real, who is an absolutely insane percussionist.  They let this cat go off in the middle of the set and he blew the doors off the joint!  Keep an eye on this guy for for sure.

The Planets performed quite a bit of material off of their 1993 album, “Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space)”.  Tracks like “It’s Good To Be Here”, “Where I’m From” and “Rebirth of Slick” sounded even better with age, and the cool trip-hop sound emanating from the Cervantes sound system was certainly enhancing the show.  In my opinion, the entire venue jumped up a notch after “Pacifics”; it seemed like the band was really hitting their stride at this point.  The highlight of the show for me was a very funky and groovy “Nickel Bags”.

It’s been a while since Digable has toured and I certainly hope they continue to perform well into the near future.  They sound just as good as back in the day, perhaps even better, smoother and more refined.  “If you’re in the city on Sunday, come check me and get written”.  If you’re a fan of 90’s hip-hop, go see these guys when you get the chance–you’ll be glad you did!

5 of 5 stars.