Pigeon John feeds off the good vibrations

Is hip-hop any good when it isn't bad? Pigeon John tried mightily Monday night in front of a half-full house at Safari Sam's, distributing lively banter and dude-next-door humor while the faithful bounced and waved their arms. Sure, he was headlining a bill called "Hawthorne's Most Wanted," but John was about as ominous as an uncle who slips a double entendre into dinner-table conversation.

This rapper's street smarts are more like cul-de-sac common sense: Love thy neighbor. Practice tolerance. Dance until you're too exhausted to hate. Lost your girlfriend? Don't slap anybody around, sing a pop chorus. Broke? Don't blame it on the man, tell a funny story. Even with his vocals weighing in thinner than they come off on 2006's engaging "Pigeon John ... and the Summertime Pool Party," John showed the Sam's crowd a good time, even if you weren't always convinced it was his party.

If it didn't always work Monday, maybe John played the underdog card too often. His best numbers -- the rousing "Moneyback Guarantee" and the freeway anthem "San Diego" (on which he shared MC duties with turntablist B. Twice) -- relied on clever storytelling. His weakest, the well-intended "Be Yourself," felt heavy-handed.

It was impossible to leave without feeling at least a bit of John's euphoria. Besides, if you felt really like doing something reckless you could drive through at Taco Bell. Stuff ain't good for you, you know.

Photo of Pigeon John by Kevin Bronson/LAT.

||| Pigeon John opens for Subtle on Jan. 19 at the Troubadour.

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Tonight's touts: Singer-songwriter Peter Walker holds forth at the Troubadour; Get Set Go leads a deep lineup at the Key Club's all-ages Ruby night; the Deadly Syndrome play DJ Franki Chan's "Check Yo Ponytail" night at Safari Sam's; Glacier Hiking tees it up at Spaceland; Thomas Fehlman spins at the Echo; the Procession kicks off a run of four Tuesdays at El Cid; and the Living Sisters (Eleni Mandell, Inara George and Becky Stark) harmonize at Tangier.