The Roots rock hip-hop for everyone

In a Little 500 weekend which featured a race, a spring football game and my 21st birthday, the highlight for me was seeing my favorite hip-hop group: the Roots. The four-member band (rapper Black Thought, bassist Hub, keyboardist Kamal and drummer ?uestlove), performed Thursday night at the IU Auditorium in a welcome return to the annual Little 500 concert.\nFor anyone that has listened to the Roots, but never been to a show, you would have been in for a surprise. They are probably the closest thing to a hip-hop jam band. No song sounds like it does on the album. The beats are remixed, guitar solos are inserted and the audience is in full participation. It was the third time I had seen them live and every time they have been unique and exciting. The Roots are showmen -- without a doubt. The show started slow, but by the end any and every song you wanted to hear was played -- plus a few you'd never expect. Some highlights include "You Got Me," "Adrenaline," "Next Movement" and "Thought at Work." Some songs only lasted a few minutes as they seamlessly transitioned to the next. Others were extended far beyond album length with additional rocking out added for good measure.\nThe average college student who may not be that into hip-hop or the Roots would have still been impressed by this show. The Roots have the gift of knowing exactly what their audience wants and giving it to them. Knowing the lyrics was not necessary as the impressive instrumentalism was more important. During their encore, not only did they throw in their most popular hit "The Seed 2.0," but they also did a medley of cover songs from Ol' Dirty Bastard, Noreaga, Beyonce Knowles, Michael Jackson, Salt-N-Pepa, Black Sabbath, Talib Kweli, Lil' Wayne and the Game. Not enough? Picture Black Thought singing Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" and asking for "mo' cow bell!" By the end, the energy of the band exploded into a drum battle between drummer ?uestlove and percussionist Knuckles. They were so moved by the music they started drumming on the set, the microphones and ?uestlove jumped into the audience, ran through the aisles and started drumming on people's heads. They threw their drum sticks, towels and set lists into a raving crowd at the end. I can guarantee that nobody left the show unsatisfied. I have to admit a few biases in my reporting. The Roots are my favorite band and I have enjoyed them every time I've seen them. In addition, I was also sitting in the second row, which can make a profound impact on the show. But it was really hyped up in my mind and far exceeded my expectations.\nI feel justified in giving this show an "A" since it was probably the greatest concert I've ever been to and something I will remember for the rest of my life. This summer they will be performing in several cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee. If any of you have the chance to ever see the Roots in concert -- do not pass it up!