Live Review: Action Bronson

An epic beard, a hefty gut and a torso full of tats: Action Bronson's body is a huge part of the VICE celebrity/chef/rapper's brand. Before Bronson even picks up the mic, it's the centre of attention. He enters, galloping in full heft from out of sight and with a bottle of Fiji Water in his hand, he drenches himself, paying special attention to his beard and his already sweat drenched black T-shirt. He stops, pauses and then, beard wobbling, shouts: "I'm 140 kilograms!" into the mic like he's calling the winner of a football game. The crowd loses it.

His body will stay the focal point of the show — it mirrors his flow in its deliberate, momentum-driven movements. At the show's highest point, he tells the audience "I gotta rip my shirt open to sing to you," and he does — he rips his shirt in half down the middle, strips down to his formidable, Fiji Water (and sweat) soaked tattooed torso, and starts on his Mark Ronson produced hit, Baby Blue.

Bronson's only chat with the audience crescendos with talk of diving for clams and shellfish in WA, filming material for the show that he owes much of his exposure to, Fuck, That's Delicious. Bronson, with his blunts, sweat, beard and penchant for fine dining embodies everything that VICE's Munchies stands for. Lines about jealous bitches didn't land nearly as well on this crowd as talk about corn beef hash.

While his hype as a personality may have undoubtedly brought a lot of the crowd to the table, Bronson does deliver as a rapper. His flow is relentless and pounding, and in an old school way, not married to the beats behind him. His DJ kept the crowd in check but Bronson was happy to float above the production behind him and lay down everything he had, setting his own pace. 

He finishes on Easy Rider, the first single from his newest album Mr Wonderful and invites everyone to ride into the sunset with him on a Harley, fists out in front, clutching the handlebars. The show might be over, but Bronson certainly isn't. Keen fans would be glad to see the VICE photo release notices posted on entry: ***Filming in Progress***.