Live: Saul Williams/Dragons of Zynth at 9:30 Club

For some reason, DC crowds always surprise me. I honestly wasn't expecting anyone to be at the 9:30 club based on this city's so-so track record with live music, and of course again, I was proven wrong last night. Everybody and their mama was out last night: from afropunks, blipsters, hip-hop heads, rednecks, fratboy douchebags, nubile high school girls, hipsters, gentrifyers to non-dancing Jewish chicks. Damn, Saul Williams is a uniter. Maybe he should run for president?

Funny thing is, the people you would least expect (the douchebag frat boys) knew every single word to all of his songs.

New York band Dragons of Zynth (flanked by two of Shepard Fairey' Obama posters) opened up for Saul, and although they were a worthy opener, I almost felt like I had to be high to get into them. They're songs were disjointed as hell and no sober person in the audience could understand them.

Saul, however, was off the chain. I know that this dude isn't most of you guys' cup of tea, but seriously, this dude is one of the best performers I've seen on stage in a long time. I didn't know what to expect, but I had a feeling that it would be a super energetic show. During the hour and a half set, Saul and his three piece band ran through almost all of his hits from his self title album and his newest Trent Reznor produced The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust! Of course, "List of Demands," (Nike ftw?) and "Sunday Bloody Sunday," got the biggest responses. And yeah, Saul brought out his daughter for some songs, giving new meaning to "Stuntin' Like My Daddy."

Video after the jump. Check the whole gallery at Flickr.