The Remix Project

Producer and drummer Apple Juice Kid has erased any notion that a cover band or party band can be the least-inspiring performance to witness. Let’s face it: Cover bands are notorious for butchering everyone’s favorite songs and getting away with it only because the crowd is too hammered to know the difference. It’s even worse during those rare times that an actual hip-hop cover bands takes a pub stage. Apple Juice Kid, however, has figured out how to pull it off with his five-piece crew The Remix Project. They refer to themselves as a “live mixtape band”—a very fitting neologism for this veteran band of jazz practitioners and hip-hop enthusiasts who have collectively turned live instrumental hip hop into a engaging experience kissed by a bit of nostalgia and a bunch of merriment.

The Remix Project most recently teamed up with Okayplayer and Illroots to release their second 22-track project, simply titled Mixtape. Released last year, Mixtape brings a revamped sparkle to various classics like N.O.R.E.’s “Nothin’,” Digable Planets’ “Rebirth of Slick.” Soho’s “Hot Music,” and Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets.” all working in mixtape-tandem-style. These guys—Apple Juice Kid (drums), Mark Wells (keyboard), Brevan Hampden (percussion), Matt Brandau (bass), Dana Chell (keys/samples), and a guest appearance by DJ Merlin—prove that they can will any track into uncompromising stage-cool. Tonight, they serve as the house band for 9th Wonder’s extravaganza. —Eric Tullis