Hypnotic beats at USOM

Heiruspecs, Hypnocinema
United States of Mind
Saturday, Aug. 7

While many people caught “Live From the Free Zone” at Birdy’s last Saturday, some 70 others boogied to some great Minneapolis and Indianapolis based bands at United States of Mind.

The local stunning quintet Hypnocinema started the evening with fast Afro-Cuban drums and bass, clanky reggae guitars, turntable scratches and a singer to match Ritchie Havens. Everyone who could shake to a clave hopped to their highly rehearsed rhythm section, which jumped back and forth between hard-hitting punk and slower, relaxed reggae. If you missed them last Saturday, check them out on The Fox 59 Morning Show this Friday.

After a stunning intermission from teenage Ahmad the Human Beatbox, Minneapolis-based Heiruspecs hit a note on the Rhodes and set the crowd swinging with rapid lyrics over a jazzy keyboardist, funky bass and a drummer with talent matching The Meters. The crowd waved their hands in the air as the main emcee gave a cabdriver’s perspective on politics in a Sage Francis delivery. The backup vocalist wove in a Eugene McDaniels-quality baritone. He also gave an accurate vocal rendition of a trumpet. They closed with a cover of the White Stripes’ “Witchita.”