Brooklyn's favorite rap trio, the Beastie Boys, have just taken off on a big tour, and from the photos we've been seeing, they're trying to make it clear that they are still contenders. If you check out all of their stage gear, it's clear. Drums, amps, etc. Clear. Bass player MCA (also known as Adam Yauch) commissioned Ampeg to build him some custom see-through bass amps, and we were more than happy to oblige. When they hit Seattle a couple of weeks ago to kick off the tour by playing a one-off club gig (at the Crocodile Cafe, capacity a tight 500 and tix $25 each!), followed by a weekend appearance at the Sasquatch! Festival, we showed up to see how these custom-fabricated B-15 Portaflex babies looked—and sounded—on stage. Well, we were pretty pleased at both. Clearly, Ampeg is MCA's choice for the best sounding and best looking bass amps available today. (And these B-15's may be the most customized versions we've ever made!) Later this month the band will release their first-ever instrumental album of new material, The Mix Up, which follows their first instrumental CD, The In Sound From Way Out.

Gamalt enn hresst.