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The Roots + P-Money Thebarton Theatre, Sun 31 July  Despite
South Australia's strong hip-hop culture, traveling interstate is
often the only way for Adelaideans to see live international hip-hop
acts. Luckily The Roots, one of the most revered bands in the genre,
were ready to satisfy our city's hunger. The night's curtain raiser, New Zealand's own P-Money, started with a solid display of beat mixing, playing classic and modern hip hop tracks. He twisted and turned his way through the mixer and the two turntables, winning over the home crowd by playing Nosebleed Section by Adelaide's own hip hop stars, Hilltop Hoods. But the masses were here to see The Roots, and when P-Money's final track concluded, a sense of excited anticipation filled the air. Then with a burst of energy, The Roots raided the stage. They opened their show with Star/Pointro from their latest album 'The Tipping Point' and the entire crowd knew that they were here to rock the house. They played various highlights from their long discography, including the crowd favourites, Break You Off, You Got Me, The Hipnotic and The Seed 2.0. Proving themselves to be an impressive live act, they also incorporated other songs in their set: from old school classic funk tracks like Jump On It and Good Times, pop hits Smooth Criminal and Black Betty to a scatting session reminiscent of George Benson. All songs were intertwined beautifully, maintaining the energy and keeping the crowd enthralled. The Roots also showcased the enormous musical talents of each individual member through this, from Hub's hypnotic bass solos and ?uestlove's dynamically crazy drum sequences to Black Thought's energized MCing and extraordinary ability to interact with the crowd. It was just a shame that Scratch, The Roots' resident beat boxer, was not present during the tour. Seeing The Roots was indeed a musical treat, two hours of high energy and skilful live instrumentalism. Their reputation for being one of the greatest live musical acts is well founded, their stature in hip hop is unmatched; they're a truly unique and special hip-hop act. And yes, Black Thought: the show proved that we had definitely been "rocking with the best."  |
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