Live Review: De La Soul

This DAISY Age-driven Native Tongue collective is famous for delivering a live game that's right up there with any full-blown, boom-bap act. Their call-and-response game unparalleled, this is a De La Soul party - ain't no half steppin'. Everyone is hyped for hip-hop's golden era originals, De La Soul, with their 28-year catalogue from which to jam out. Forget that it's a school night.

Hard on their do-as-De-La-does grind, Posdnuos and Dave start the party right with two cuts from their new LP before taking it back to the thump of the Prince Paul-produced Oooh (minus Redman). Through Stakes Is High, De La Soul salute J Dilla while Maseo throws out the Chaka Khan-blessed All Good? - but it would be on the build-up for Ego Trippin' (Part Two) that the party spikes a sharp ascent. The back-and-forth attempts at screaming the song's intro take three strikes before finding fever pitch. Scratched and sore throats are tomorrow's problem, but for tonight De La Soul ain't takin' no shorts! Dave stresses he's aware that we're fiending for the 28-year old Me, Myself And I. Alas, not yet. Playing one side of the crowd off the other, Pos and Dave keep the gig amped.

As soon as Tower Of Power's Ebony Jam drumbeat kicks in, it's like a summer weekend in 1991 for their much-loved A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays". Finally, it's time for the OG of them all as Maseo projectile punches that hyped Funkadelic sample for Me, Myself And I, sending the audience more than just knee deep into the groove. By now we are puppets on a string, as our puppet masters thank us for coming and especially those who contributed to the Kickstarter campaign for their new album. De La Soul then close their main set with Buddy.

Not taking the bait for their finale, nobody moves an inch until we hear that answering machine message. An encore of Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey) follows. This is hip hop uncut! Tonight, De La Soul provide the purest fix straight to the AC vein!