After hosting a couple of shows featuring Dark Time Sunshine, The Bad Tenants and Speaker Minds, it would appear as though underground hip-hop is finding a place to play in Bend: Liquid Lounge & Club.
That grip will grow tighter Saturday when two excellent indie-rap acts — Champagne Champagne and The Knux — bring their tour to town.
Both use a rock-influenced and/or live-instrument based formula for their sound. Champagne Champagne’s strength is in the unconventional flow of MCs Pearl Dragon and Sir Thomas Gray, set against DJ Gajamagic’s psychedelic beats. The Seattle trio calls it “Tropical Trip Pop." That works. They bring it live, too; their January 2011 show in Bend was one of the best in town that year.
The Knux comprises two brothers originally from New Orleans who grew up listening to funk, rock, pop and beyond, thanks to their mom. Now, they live in Los Angeles and when Facebook asks them to list their influences, they go with The Smiths and Joy Division, Nas, Jimi Hendrix, Tupac and The Clash, among others. Their new album, “Eraser," is a powerhouse collection of sleek, club-ready rock-rap, but not like Limp Bizkit or something. More like Jay Z meets the Pixies doing electro-pop.
Champagne Champagne, with The Knux, Civil Warriors and Northorn Lights; 9 p.m. Saturday, doors open 8:30 p.m.; $5; Liquid Lounge, 70 N.W. Newport Ave., Bend; www.liquidclub.net.
