Get hype for Sylk 130’s reunion at the TLA with this 1998 MTV flashback
On Labor Day weekend, famed Philly DJ and sound artist King Britt is getting the band back together.
Sylk 130, King’s late 90s collective that led the world all-too-briefly on an expansive funk / dance odyssey, is headlining the TLA on Sunday, September 4th for a one-time-only reunion gig…and if you didn’t know already, it’s a big freaking deal.
To get a sense of the band’s place in local and national music history, here’s a video that aired on MTV in spring of 1998, recently shared from King Britt’s Facebook page. This was in the cable music channel’s late-90s flirtation with “electronica” — Amp-era, for the old heads — and it finds MTV News anchor Kurt Loader going on a record shopping trip with King at Dance Tracks, his favorite NYC store.
Worth noting, this was the era when compact disc was still the leading format; mp3s were not yet a thing, nor was the mid-aughties vinyl resurgence, but King nevertheless has an incredibly handle portable player called a vinyl burger that he uses to sample singles pulled from Dance Tracks’ shelves.
In between, he discusses Sylk 130, we see music videos and live performances of “Last Night a DJ Saved My Life,” “When The Funk Hits the Fan” and “The Reason.” King also gives some insight into the band’s mission: “It’s a form of expression so everyone can enjoy what we do and what we stand for in Philadelphia. It’s a family vibe: good energy and positive reinforcement for everyone.”
Watch the clip below, along with a blast from the past in the “Last Night a DJ Saved My Life” video. Sylk 130 headlines the TLA on Sunday, September 4th; tickets are available now, more information can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar.