LIVE: Red Bull Sound Select x Plug Research x Forward Music: Pegasus Rising, Tanya Morgan

Emma Bell showed up and worked her southern charm for the hardcore Brooklynites. Wearing what was described as a, “Kelly Bundy Dress” she shimmied on stage and brought her Southern rock to the urban masses in attendance. You had Pegasus Rising, who’s phenomenal live. On wax he’s into glitch sounding samples that call to mind some of the 8-bit glitch stuff that’s popular with nerdy kids who don’t shower. But live he re-creates those weird sounds with off kilter guitar work and live keyboard playing. What you get is 80’s R&B but through a very futuristic vision and live his voice and band just knocks you off your feat.

The modern Brooklyn audience tends to be a bit too cool for school at times, which is why Wavy Spice was a great act to throw into the mix. The Harlem MC looks like she could model but as foul mouthed as the most hardened guy on the block. Speaking of rappers YC The Cynic came out looking like Dwayne Wayne but sounded like a VERY seasoned rapper with flows, metaphors and vocal presence for days…look out for him. The Tontons brought a sexy looking Afro and a classic soul sound by way of Texas to Brooklyn (and could probably beat most Brooklyn bands at that game).

Biggest standout of then night was as usual Tanya Morgan. As a group of seasoned MC’s, they play the kind of classic hip-hop that you rarely get nowadays and know how to perform live. They make it look easy, even when it’s not.