There are times when going to shows is painful. It's painful to see bands that blow, and even more painful to see bands that blow to a packed house when there are plenty of bands that don't blow who play to less crowded rooms. Then of course there’s the other type of painful show experience – when you see a band that is so wonderful playing to a small select few, and it makes your insides full of rage that there aren't more people to share the glory with.

The latter is the pain I felt watching Sacramento/Reno hip-hop geniuses Who Cares play at Thee Parkside the other night. Myself, Will, and about 30 others were mesmerized by the brilliance this band brings to the stage. With an MC, a sample master, and two additional musicians/vocalists, the four guys in Who Cares bring such intelligence and mindblowing talent to their art that it's inspiring, to say the least... And, again, so painful that every person the whole world over doesn’t know about this band and their genius.

The intelligence behind their music comes in my favorite form: a discernable sense of history and awareness of their predecessors is woven throughout the innovativeness Who Cares brings to their craft. Songs about love and belonging are smoothly kicked out over addictive, thoughtful beats that leave no one free from head-nodding & rump shaking. Old school hip-hop beats merge seemlessly with downtempo trip-hop beats, and a smooth as silk voice rhymes above it all. Keyboards, saxaphone, beat boxing, and soul-driven vocals also fuel this band’s performances, which are a fresh breath of air wafting away the stench of all this crunk BS that the kids love so much nowadays. If I had the chance to see this band perform every night of my life, I would take that chance and never be bored - that's how good they are.

[Jen Chochinov]

[STREAM] Who Cares: "Magpie and the Scarecrow", "November"