Live Review: ET20

The 20th birthday of the Elefant Traks label has seen them hit three cites and thousands of fans with a mix of shows and talks, but it was fitting that the celebration ended at home in Marrickville’s Factory Theatre with a mini-festival featuring the artists that make the label what it is.

The courtyard (renamed the Cherry Blossom Stage) had tunes pumping all evening from DJs DGGZ, HipHopHoe, Diola and Klasik, but first we headed to the Summerland Stage to see Unkle Ho perform for the first time in six years. The eclectic beat-maker didn’t disappoint despite this absence, exhibiting major skill at mashing together unique beats and samples and combining with Senator Jim, who rotated between euphonium, trumpet and a very cool theremin solo. There was an off-kilter feel to the beats that was intriguing, with feelings of mourning and joy coming in quick succession. We were also treated to a new song, which could hint at that long-awaited elusive third album down the track.

Astronomy Class were next to take to the stage, again feeling like it had been a long time between drinks. Ozi Batla, Chasm and Sir Robbo were joined by a bassist and a packed room. The vibe was pumping hard early with Nuthin Nice and hands were in the sky for A Bright Tomorrow from their 2006 album, Exit Strategy. Ozi Batla was in fine form, spitting his smart rhymes over the often reggae-inspired beat. Local rapper, P-Smurf, jumped on stage for the last few tracks including the ever-upbeat Where You At?. The group still bang and are sorely missed.

There was a delayed start, but Sky’high jumped up straight after for a quick few tracks of her 'gutter rap'. It was a rare performance as she was joined by two backing singers for a powerful, short set. 

Heading upstairs to the main room (aka the Hyperparadise Stage), we were able to catch most of L-FRESH The LION’s set, joined on stage by the always awesome Mirrah and backed up by MK-1 on the desk. Drums, guitar and bass were also there to flesh out the tunes and made tracks like Get Mine and 1 In 100,000 really pop as the crowd was taken along for what may be the last wild ride we get before FRESH drops new music early in 2019.

If you weren’t smiling already, all you had to do was see The Last Kinection to widen that grin. The Newcastle siblings, who we sadly only seem to see at these anniversary shows, dove right into Black & Deadly, bouncing off each other with precision as Jayteehazard held down the beats, often given the chance to scratch like the pro he is. (Dr) Joel Wenitong spoke about writing scripts as well as raps, which gave the full room a chuckle. Naomi Wenitong’s infectious smile turned serious as she sang her reworked version of I Still Call Australia Home. Another group that we wish we could see more from. Talented and so damn nice.

“This is such a vibe!” declared Okenyo. The crowd really filled out the Hyperparadise Stage to witness a blistering set from the Sydney artist. Joined on stage by two backing vocalists and a drummer, tracks from her EP THE WAVE sounded as big and important as they are. Mirrah joining in for Woman’s World was a special moment in a special performance.

One of the latest ventures on the label has been Jimblah and Georgia B (Goji) combining to make Homeward Bound. At first take they seem a strange pairing, but Jimblah's raps and outstanding vocals sit nicely beside Georgia B's sweet voice. It was great to see their two singles, Island and Be, performed live and the sunny reaction in the room should encourage more.

Despite already performing a couple of huge orchestral shows in the birthday series, Horrorshow were determined to be part of the final party and the packed room was stoked. Solo and Adit never hold back and that just encourages crowds to do the same. Beloved lyrics were screamed back in the suitable Eat The Cake and though Jane Tyrrell couldn't make it until later, the audience made up for it during In My Haze. The drop in The Rain will never get old and they ended by sharing the love in Cherry Blossom. Head over heels? Always.

B Wise dropped a killer album, Area Famous, this year and is growing his fan base with every show. His tradition of asking everyone in the crowd to turn to the person next to them and introduce themselves filled the crowd with buoyant energy and they reacted heartily to a party set including The Code, Risk It and Feel Something. The Western Sydney rapper is still in his early days, but his flow is so smooth and his raps exciting. He definitely has a huge future with the label.

Three years after Elefant Traks officially began, a bunch of friends - rappers, beat-makers and instrumentalists - decided to form an eight-piece group (despite a couple of line-up changes, the number remains). The Herd were formed as a super-group of talent and their first song from their first album, Scallops (sadly not played), brought national attention not only to the group, but also the label. Who were these Elefants?

The highlight of the night was watching these friends back on stage just doing what they do. Making up the outfit are the meat and potatoes of celebrated Aus MCs, Urthboy and Ozi Batla, the dynamic and joyous musicality of Traksewt, Rok Poshtya and Sulo and the eclectic beats from Unkle Ho. The cherry on top is Jane Tyrrell. She brings it all together with her powerful voice, invoking massive cheers from the audience whenever she sang on the night. It’s always exciting to see the group together, even though Toe-Fu couldn’t be there.

It was a greatest hits set from the group. 2020, The King is Dead, Emergency and Unpredictable were all there but it was the updated version of 77% that popped the largest, with L-FRESH The LION and Solo jumping up for verses on the, sadly, still relevant track. The band danced around the stage with joy, Traksewt and Rok Poshtya never losing their smiles. There was so much love for the group and their very rare performance that it was sad when it all finished. Their latest Like A Version, Wafia’s Bodies, saw Okenyo return to the stage, after which a massive group of friends, family and label-mates followed.

Hermitude - in DJ mode - took over the decks, dropping a selection of their tracks and other bangers to keep the room dancing till midnight. An Elefant Traks birthday party is a celebration of good vibes, great music, diversity and love. It’s a combination that has been at the core of everything the label does - hopefully for decades to come.