It’s probably easy to forget where you come from when you move to New York City, but F. Stokes ain’t having it. There’s no greater evidence of that than “My Simple,” the lead single and video from his upcoming release, Love, Always, out March 6th. The song declares, “This is not New York and this is not L.A. – this is my small town in the U.S.A.” He says it with pride, not afraid to make distinction from his current home base. The video also bleeds Sconnie pride, showing off some of the places that make the Madison area great, from the Majestic to Strictly Discs to Mermaid Coffee to a cornfield.
So it’s fitting and admirable that F. Stokes will play a free concert on Saturday, recognizing the fans that supported him on the journey to where he is today. He tweeted last night, “This Saturday. Union South. Me & Radish. Free show. Madison, I’m so excited to finish my tour off in my hometown.” We’re so excited to be hosting an event that celebrates one of our own.
It’s probably safe to say that DJ Radish and Briar Rabbit are excited to be a part of it all as well, and you should look forward to seeing them. Getting us started will be Briar Rabbit, whose self-coined “thought pop” features some excellent grooves and deep subject-matter. The most recent example is his Black History Month-inspired ‘The Great Routine,’ where each Thursday of February he releases a free song on his site following the storyline of an African-American blackface minstrel. It’s both powerful and catchy. Following Briar Rabbit, DJ Radish will give you some serious homegrown beats to get your body jumping. You may have caught Radish playing all over Madison, including the Majestic and Segredo.
So get down to The Sett at 9 p.m. on Saturday to be a part of this homecoming. We may not be New York, and we may not be L.A., but we’ll definitely be doing some big city-caliber partying this weekend.
No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you- that is, indeed, a cat in a sailor cap on a surfboard.
