CMW Live: Pharoahe Monch OPERA HOUSE - MAR. 10 Saturday night at the Opera House was all about "smooth operators operating correctly." After doing the rounds for Canadian Music Week and being further and further numbed into music banality, this reviewer was left wondering, whither the rock, whither the roll. But big brawny hip hop stepped in and saved the day. Worn down by a week of making nice, I almost didn't make the Pharoahe Monch show, which would have left all that sad disillusionment in place. But that all changed at 12:30 on Saturday night, when I walked up to the balcony at the Opera House, and witnessed absolute mayhem. Toronto's MC Eclectic and MC 7L had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands with their fresh rhymes and more flow than you could shake a stick at. The venue was so packed and ready to party that when the pride of Queens, Troy Donald Jamerson, a k a Pharoahe Monch, hit the stage, he could have mailed in a performance and gotten away with it. But like any true heavyweight contender, he knew his fight for musical dominance was on the line, and the battle was on. With a sweaty, breathless crowd watching in full shock and awe, it was hard to tell who was more into it, all the hip-hop kids rapping with their fearless leader or the multitude of hangers-on onstage. James Brown got a shout out; this crowd is all about old skool cred. "I Shot the Mayor" was a definite crowd favourite, and when Monch launched into "Simon Says," everything really exploded. After a night hearing Monch dis George Bush and dispense hip-hop wisdom, the faithful were ready to get the fuck up. Never mind that the song was on the Charlie's Angel soundtrack, it still rocked. Now that's operating correctly.