Photo: Charlyn Cameron

The indistinct mumble of a hundred or so conversations is abruptly halted as the shrill sound of a lonesome violin pierces throughout the room demanding attention. The Grassroots Street Orchestra launch into Shisha – the first song in a night full of politically charged hip hop. The continually increasing crowd are drawn into the bluesy roots hip hop and grooves to a drumbeat which makes the chin of my part-time percussionist associate drop firmly to the floor. The set flows well, with front man Surya McEwen providing anti-capitalist banter between jams and ends with an a capella political spiel which is greeted by raised fists of solidarity.

The Last Kinection hit the stage with seemingly boundless energy. Brother/sister combo MCs Nay and Weno (Naomi and Joel Wenitong) bounce around the stage spitting out their rhymes as DJ JayTee takes care of the beats. The first hit proves to be Commercial Radio, which sees Naomi reminiscing about her youth in flash-in-the-pan R&B pop sensations Shakaya (“Stop calling me, calling me/ please stop stalking me, stalking me...”). It appears this stalker’s constant harassment didn’t pay off as Naomi announces she is single and looking, but the hopes of any other potential stalkers are quickly dashed as big brother Joel states they will have to go through him first. The group wraps things up with Still Call Oz Home, which, in parts, is very similar to Still Call Australia Home, although the lyrics are more concerned with aboriginal injustices rather than small children bragging about their travel conquests.

I am far from a connoisseur of hip hop, but The Herd have been tickling my fancy with Triple J hits from Scallops to The King Is Dead and, after seeing their live show, it won’t be long before their entire catalogue finds its way into my record collection. The band in full flight have the ability to generate movement out of the most rhythmically awkward white boy, and Urthboy and Ozi Batla’s rhymes will pry open the most closed of minds. All the fan favourites are played with the notable exception of 77%, however, the vocal crowd is rewarded with an encore of an altered Latino-flavoured version of the trademark tune, before sliding into its original form, much to audience delight.

NATHAN RICHARDSON

Be first to comment on this article

Write Comment
Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Poster's IP addresses are logged.
Name:
Comment:
Code:*