Digable Planets – The Fillmore – Minneapolis MN – October 17th

Digable Planets at the Fillmore on October 17th brought a night of hip-hop to downtown Minneapolis. Known for their mellow delivery, lyricism, and unique blend of jazz and hip-hop. Butterfly, Ladybug, and Doodlebug brought a sound that feels just as fresh now as it did when they first emerged in the early 1990s. Touring the anniversary of their first album Blowout Comb, they played a mix of songs from that and their second album Reachin’ with a live band accompanying the entire performance, the group gave fans a chance to experience their catalog with a different energy than what you might find on the records.

The crowd spent much of the night doing exactly what you would expect at a Digable Planets show. Heads were bobbing and one particularly enthusiastic fan even broke out into a breakdance in the middle of the crowd. There was a relaxed atmosphere throughout the venue, with fans clearly here to see some of the many classic tracks from their catalog and ready to enjoy the night.

The stage was kept relatively simple, with purple and blue lighting washing over the performers. Without much in the way of additional production, the lighting often left the members of Digable Planets falling into darkness when they weren’t actively rapping. However, the live band brought plenty of life to the performance. The instrumentation gave the group’s already jazz-heavy sound another layer, allowing the songs to breathe while maintaining the grooves that made them so recognizable.

One of the standout moments of the night came during “Nickel Bags.” Its smooth production and infectious rhythm made it especially memorable, fitting perfectly into the atmosphere of the evening. When Ladybug led her chorus about the group hitting you with their nickel bags of funk she created the perfect amount of space in the words to make it just different enough from the studio version to make it feel like a whole different song. Tracks like these serve as a reminder of just how effortlessly Digable Planets blend jazz, hip-hop, and thoughtful lyricism into something entirely their own.

Digable Planets proved that their music has aged remarkably well. Decades after their introduction to the hip-hop scene, their sound still gets people moving, and the live instrumentation made for an especially enjoyable night at the Fillmore.