Westport Rocksteady.

Last night was a good one in Kansas City. My brother, cousin and I rolled down to the Westport District and met up with a few friends for a Thai dinner and Detroit hip-hop. I'd eaten at Thai Place before so I knew the entrees were tasty. I think the only slight issue I had was that the sauce in my Pad Kee Mow was a bit bland, but overall the dishes were excellent and I had enough to take home.

During dinner a conversation ensued as to which cuisine lent itself to the best-tasting leftovers. The general consensus was that Thai held up fairly well to reheating, and that Japanese food was one of the worst. Obviously you don't want to keep raw fish any longer than you have to before shoving it down your gullet. I should add that I love cold Italian food -- this includes all the noodle dishes, lasagna and pizza. (Go ahead and make all the ewww noises you want -- I'll still eat fettucini alfredo straight from the fridge.)

We decided to hit up One80 Lounge up the block after a satisfying dinner to kill a few minutes (and brain cells) before the Black Milk show. I don't think Jose will ever get over the low drink prices here. Not that anyone's trying to make it a habit, but it's a good way to get buzzed and still ball on a budget. Midwesterners don't know how good they really have it with the miniscule bar tab.

recordBar was an intimate venue situated in a strip mall a few blocks down. It was kinda strange to see it wedged next to a dry cleaners and Half-Price Books, but whatever. DAMMIT THIS WAS HIP-HOP. We paid cover and found a large table near the back with a decent view of the stage. The DJ was spinning some underground records/remixes and Corey and I played the "Who's This?" guessing game. Meanwhile the drinks kept flowing and I maintained with Sapphire and tonic.

Out of the two opening acts, Approach smashed it with more than a few high-energy bangers and acapellas that got the crowd moving and hyped for the headliner. I may have to check for this cat at some of his future shows here in KC -- he's pretty ill, has a sick stage presence and seems to have a decent fan base in town. I shoulda copped a CD. The buzz built up steadily and I wove my way to the front of the crowd as Black Milk took the stage. Getting right into it, he ripped through cuts from Popular Demand and Tronic and people were wildin'. Several times I do believe I almost snapped my neck from noddin' so hard.

Anyway I only wish the set had lasted longer because it was a great feeling to be in the crowd once again after a long break from going to shows. I couldn't help but reminisce about when J-Pros used to rock venues in Seattle, so I know the sensation of a hundred hands in the air with waves of bass exploding through the room. Ah well. Gotta keep it movin'. In all it was a great night, and one I hope to recreate again when the next opportunity arrives.