Our teeth rattled, our knees buckled and the hair on our arms stood on end in a kind of fight-or-flight reaction to the thunderous assault of bass that brought the Beastie Boys onto the Huntridge Theater stage. And when MCA, the King Ad-Rock and an Elvis' sunglasses-wearing Mike D joined DJ Mix Master Mike with the call, "Because you can't / You won't-—" 800 electrified B-boys and B-girls responded as one: "-—AND YOU DON'T STOP!"
Some had driven in from other states and waited in line for 12 hours for the slim chance of getting into this once-in-a-lifetime show: the Beastie Boys in Vegas for just $2, thanks to MTV2's 2$Bill Concert Series. Tickets allegedly sold out 90 minutes before they even went on sale-, a cause for controversy and frustration among the hundreds turned away. But if there's one thing local Beasties fans know, it's that tickets go fast here. When the group came to town last year to headline the Jam Master Jay Benefit, tickets cost between $75 and $150 and sold out in a rumored 20 seconds.
From the opening sample of Michael Buffer spitting his adrenaline-pumping, trademarked "Let's get ready to rumble," the evening was a heavyweight match between one of the most respected groups in hip-hop and one of the world's most talented DJs. Mix Master Mike wasn't there to just spin records or even to simply move the crowd; he was there to keep the group on their toes. And after seamlessly sneaking beats like Jay-Z's "Dirt Off Your Shoulder," Nas' "Made You Look" and the 45 King's "The 900 Number" into classic Beasties songs, Mike D conceded, "You're a genius, Mike!"
The sound was amazing, the crowd was delirious, and the Huntridge never looked sexier, thanks to an MTV2 makeover that included vintage television sets, mosaic lighting, motion cameras and a huge mural of the pre-9/11 New York City skyline sketch from the cover of the Beasties' new album.
The concert, presumably packaged with the dramatic ticket-line spectacle, airs Sunday at 5 p.m. on MTV2. Another fan might recommend you "check-ch-check-check-check-ch-check it out," but I'll keep my dignity and just say Ti-Tivo it.