Live Review: Grey Ghost, Suburban Dark, Remi

Melbourne rapper Remi hit the Gallery Bar stage first with a live drummer, DJ and his dancing shoes. Paired with some upbeat, Motown sound samples and light-hearted braggadocio, his smooth footwork made for an enigmatic stage presence to compliment competent tracks like Ape and Sangria.

Production duo Suburban Dark distinctly darkened the mood with their self-described “fight beats”, featuring sometimes-awkward live verses from Jeswon from Thundamentals and a fiercely intense new track and freestyle with ginger-bearded Rapaport.

The first thing you notice about Grey Ghost is that he has a whole lot of instruments on stage for a rapper. And to his credit, the echoing guitar solos, keys and live drums added something raw to the EP launch that no recorded breakbeat could have managed.

He jumped on stage wearing a matching, patterned tracksuit with his dreadlocks pulled into a pony and his poetic flow and rock-driven hooks on tracks like opener, My Machine, and Black Ghost Gold Chain, with its catchy crowd clap, set the scene before he launched into the title track off the EP, The Elixir.

The highlight of the short yet forceful set was a track called Empty, where Ghost added a bit of speed to his rhythm and called out “I want you to get a bit psychedelic with this!” He wailed some impressive ambient vocals up against a wall of reverbing bass and guitar at the end of the trippy track.

Unfortunately, the set was rushed and the Ghost explained that he'd love to chat more but that he had to finish before another gig started in the Live Art Space next door.

Grey Ghost worked the little room, jumping across the seating booths until he was speed rapping down from above and amongst the enchanted crowd. He dedicated Space Ambassador to “all the space cadets” and with that kinda style, successfully thwarted every single hip hop stereotype.