JOSE S. GUTIERREZ: SWEATSHOP UNION AT THE ROYAL TONIGHT >>>

The award-winning Canadian hip-hop group, Sweatshop Union will rock the crowd at Olympia’s Royal Lounge tonight combining conscious lyrics, crowd-rocking tactics and a long and rich history of representing the best of hip-hop straight from the ‘much-slept-on, vastly beautifully land of British Columbia.

The group came together initially as a collective in Vancouver, B.C. at the beginning of the millennium and eventually morphed into a powerful group with a conscious voice, a meaningful message and the ability to rock the party.  I can remember their music getting independent rotation as a DJ/producer at The Beat 94.5 FM in 2002 and this was just their beginning.

Now Sweatshop Union is on a whirlwind tour that will take them from Washington to Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, California and eventually back home to Canada, where they have received critical accolades and awards from The Junos (Canadian music awards) and Much Music (Canadian version of MTV).

The group who promoter Nicatine of Homeland Security calls “Canada’s Finest Import” will hit the stage tonight along with local party rockers, Junkyard Gang.  Icky Spitz, The Elements and DJ Deadbeat will support the show in the safe, fresh and festive fashion that has become so familiar with Homeland Security shows.  “It’s gonna be a dope show,” says Nicatine.

[The Royal Lounge, Sweatshop Union, Junkyard Gang, The Elements, Icky Spitz and DJ Deadbeat, Thursday, Aug. 20, 9 p.m. doors, $5, 311 Capital Way, Olympia]

P.S. Read my column on the Weekly Volcano Web site for my thoughts on Michael Vick.