Nightworks Ep. 12 Lineup
The last time we checked in with Rah Zen (a.k.a. Jake Gilman) back in July, the Boston beatmaker was fresh off the heels of releasing his sophomore album Upon the Apex, released via DOMEOFDOOM. During our discussion, he was passionately plugging not just his album, but also Nightworks, a series of live beat shows that Rah has gotten off the ground around town in the past few years. Past episodes of the series have seen Dibia$e, Ohbliv, Elaquent, Stlndrms, and more come through to showcase their skills.
On 9/14, the series will return for its 12th episode at Backlash Beer Company and features a stacked lineup including musicians, visual art, pop-up shops, and of course, plenty of cold ones to crack open. The lineup this time around features Exile, Sirplus, 1st Official, and Teeba as visiting performers; additionally, the Nightworks resident DJs – DJ Manipulator, Inspektah, and Gnat – will hold it down. On top of that, local graffiti legend Soems will supply the art, and Union Sound, HS Vintage, and Scope Apparel will have their wares on display. Backlash also has a new brew to try, a sour beer called the Tartness. To sum up, there’s a little something for anyone in attendance.
Because Rah Zen – especially through his work with ZUMIX in East Boston – is all about that education, you’ll find in everything he works on that there is a focus in passing on knowledge to the next generation of beat makers and producers. In that vein, Exile will be putting on a live MPC workshop at ZUMIX and Union Sound. In case you don’t know Exile, he’s a seasoned producer who has made produced for big names like Mobb Deep and 50 Cent. He’s also known for his work with rapper Blu, but it’s really his live skills that will be on display on this night. Sirplus is joining him in making the trip out from Los Angeles, and his sets are known for their often wild style.
As Gilman explained to us in his July interview, this event has become an enthusiastic celebration of live beat making, itself a hallowed tradition in modern music. At these gigs, the audience is filled with appreciators and often fellow beatmakers, who know the mutual energy required to get a crowd into that groovy, heady space. “There’s a lot of great beat music coming out of the city, and with Nightworks as the focal point, I think it’ll really start taking off soon.” This time around, there’s an increased excitement due to the event’s ongoing success and the community it is building within the city. “I’m all in for another transformative, high energy Nightworks experience. This community is so special to be around and party with. Our whole team is feeling the momentum of what this show means for the city and we’re all excited to keep it going. The Beat Will Always Save Us.”
The 21+ show will get started at 8 PM. Visit Eventbrite for more info and to buy tickets.