For Free, or Not For Free? K-Os Asks the Question

Waiting in line from as early as 2 P.M. (as this cash-strapped student blogger did) for doors at 8, an opener at 9, and the headliner not until 10 can be a brutal experience. Lucky for all those in attendance at the Edmonton Event Center (Ed's, to locals) in West Edmonton Malls 'pay what you want' show, the wait was well worth it.

The schtick of Toronto rapper/rocker/crooner K-Os's entire Yes!Karma Tour is that the shows are not ticketed and entry is on a first come, first served basis. Everyone who made a donation to the David Suzuki Foundation was also thanked with a copy of the aptly titled It's Yours! CD, which includes fan-remixes off of his latest album Yes! .

Regina, Saskatchewan openers Library Voices certainly brought the party, but Edmonton crowds can be fickle, and the party remained onstage. All 9 members of the upbeat indie-rock collective looked to be having a fantastic time, but the crowd was largely unmoved by their loud attempts to get everyone rocking.

When K-Os finally hit the stage however, the crowd was 100% with him. Oldies like 'Crabbuckit' and 'Heaven Only Knows' had the older fans singing along to every word, while new tracks such as 'I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman', lifted from the Phantom Planet song, and O.C. theme song 'California' rocked the fans both new and old.

Listen to Yes! on K-Os's MySpace page here.