Isaiah Ikey Owens - Looking For Lauryn Hill In Lakewood

Isaiah "Ikey" Owens, one half of the Look Daggers (w/ 2Mex), keyboardist for The Mars Volta and leader of his band Free Moral Agents has quietly released his own solo debut.

Cop it and spread the word:
iTunes

Sonny Kay Art Show Recap

The Sonny Kay art show was packed! Musical performances by Liquid Indian, Lisa & Matt and members of Big Sir and RX Bandits, not to mention DJ Nobody and Cedric Bixler-Zavala providing the sounds for the entire night!

Here's a few pieces of Sonny Kay's recent works:

Sonny Kay Art Show

Sonny Kay might be known to most as the designer for The Mars Volta and Rodriguez-Lopez Productions/Sargent House Records, and for good reason. He's been making incredible pieces you've seen but never knew was him for over 10 years.

Luckily for us, Sonny has blessed Up Above by designing the cover of the Look Daggers album Suffer In Style.

Come check out some of Sonny's amazing designs this Thursday through March!

Look Daggers Detroit Bar Video

Because of Chris Clawson's broken arm (Look Daggers drummer), the Daggers band could not make it out, but if you know Ikey, you know he has a million musicians in his rolodex. So, Ikey took members of his other band Free Moral Agents, added his brother Eugene (once the musical director for Lauryn Hill's band) on bass, and viola, you have a show.

The crowd: as the "Free Moral Daggers" started their set, they were greeted with chants of "Rae-kwon, Rae-kwon" and of course, "Wu-Tang, Wu-Tang." Unfazed by the restless audience, 2Mex continued his raps and the band continued their musical destruction. As the chanting continued and grew louder, 2Mex took it upon himself to leave the stage, go into the crowd of people, and literally rap directly in their faces all while holding the mic to their mouths as they continued to chant.


I was waiting for a fight to break out. But, slowly and surely, the audience began to quiet down, and chants of "2MEX" became more and more audible, even from those who were once screaming for Raekwon. I have never seen a crowd as hostile (and drunk) as that turn from talking sh-t to giving huge props...a complete 180 in my book.

I think it's safe to say that the "Free Moral Daggers" won the crowd over.

Look Daggers @ Amoeba

For those of you who missed the Look Daggers Amoeba in-store, we sadly have to inform you that you missed out on one heck of a show. And for those who were there, you already know.



Special guest Lord Zen of the Visionaries rolled through and blessed the mix with a solid verse during their jam session. And check out Ikey's solo on Final Toss - INCREDIBLE!