GO Ghetto Tiger : 100% Bona Fide Bleeps and Dots
story by : Tamara Lee photos by : Tamara Lee previously published : Discorder Magazine
My memories of the 1980’s are foggy at best. Though I am practically a senior citizen of the decade, already being in elementary school in ’85, I still cannot remember much more then big bangs, Michael J Fox, crew neck sweaters and my trusty Atari. Oh the Atari, single handedly responsible for hours to months of childhood fun! In fact, I would go so far as to describe this whole decade as the Atari years, being a time of sights and sounds that were simplistic, jagged edged, space age, radio-active and downright maximized weirdness. If pressed to summarize, the Atari years 80’s could be described as a time of bleeps and dots.
Now, why do I spiral into this strange fit of techy nostalgia? Because I find myself at The Biltmore watching local band Go Ghetto Tiger, whose music promptly transforms my brain to bleeps and dots mode. This three-man band max’s out the weirdometer; from outfit choice to instruments they really are a piece of work. MarQuo B sings lead and also plays bass (an unlikely combo), and is backed by Jason Quirk on an electric drum kit and Super J on the keyboard. The three appear on stage in assorted military coveralls, mode a la Top Gun.
And as if the set up were not enough, wait until they begin their stage antics. While MarQuo and Super J show us their latest robotic dance moves, Quirk dramatically pauses between drum beats to hold a single drumstick to the sky for his Oscar moment. Between songs Marquo keeps the crowd occupied with unconventional banter, telling them that he knew they were wondering if he “has sex like he plays bass”. (How did he know?) He also tells them it’s GGT’s last show ever, only to reveal this is completely fictional a few songs later.
Nobody could accuse these guys of lacking in personality. They have so much of it that you’d almost forget to actually listen to their tantalizing music. Their electric synth rhythms set the dance party going that would mobilize even the stiffest of butts. Wrapping nicely into the spacey organ melodies, the techy sounds march your mind through inter-dimensional travel. Marquo’s melodic voice flows nicely over top, with cerebral and sometimes rash lyrics delivered in an ironically soothing fashion. And the whole thing is seasoned with heavy effects that can only be described as maximum Atari bleeps and dots.
The whole affair might have been leaning toward weird scary instead of weird ha ha, except that it’s clear the GGT guys don’t take themselves overly seriously. 
There is a little flavor of tongue in their cheeks with lyrics like “if you don’t like it, THERE’S THE DOOR” or “take me to the hospital…back stage at a puppet show”. Go Ghetto Tiger puts a lot into producing good music and equally importantly into making good times and having fun.
These days, “80’s revival” music tends to be a dime a dozen. Though amidst this trend, Go Ghetto Tiger really stands out as something special. Maybe it’s the use of interesting space age musical effects. Perhaps it’s because they aren’t just putting us on for fad’s sake; they just have a good time being their…er…unusual selves. Whatever the reason, GGT truly brings uniqueness to the stage that at the very least scores off the charts on the weirdometer, the techometer and 100% bona fide bleeps and dots. Seeing GGT at The Biltmore was really something special … but I suppose it could be just as likely that somebody slipped a hallucinogenic into my drink! Lets hope the former.