Live Review: Hilltop Hoods, Maverick Sabre, AB Original

Australian hip hop has divided many a music fan over the years. Adelaide's finest Hilltop Hoods brought the heat back to their hometown last night for their Restrung tour, and the dedication of fans was stronger than that kid from your street who spits absolute bars.

AB Original — aka the spanking new project by hip hop's own Briggs and Trials — started up first, proving the comradeship between Golden Era record label artists is based on a well rounded community of creatives. Their set was energetic and groovy.

The sultry vocals of London's Maverick Sabre came up next. The energy was slightly lacking, with some awkward bounce action going on through a sprinkling of audience members. His impressive set of pipes worked in his favour as he tried his best to work up the crowd as much as possible.

As the stadium went totally dark — save for a few phone screens scattered through GA — the curtains opened on the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Suffa and Pressure ran out on the huge open area of the stage, immediately filling up the space with their huge personalities. Kicking off with Higher and Chase That Feeling the first set of pyrotechnics jump-scared half the crowd. The guys have pulled out all the stops for this tour.

The energy and heat seemed to shimmer as if the crowd were a dry desert and the Hoods were a long-awaited rain, every member thirsty for whatever the guys were throwing out into them. Puffs of smoke drifted upwards as the ethereal sounds of the Adelaide Chamber Choir lending an eerie edge to the beats. Maverick Sabre reappeared for Won't Let You Down and Live And Let Go, turning both into operatic ballads.

Montaigne brought her vocals to latest 1955, "a song we wrote about Adelaide", as Suffa and Pressure treated the crowd like reunited friends and family. They harbour none of the too-cool-for-you-mysteriousness seen in far too many successful acts nowadays.

Nosebleed Section goes off expectedly, as the obligatory cellphone stars light up for Through The Dark. The set is filled with the best of their restrung work, the familiarity of their beats somewhat comforting. The Orchestra added depth and layers to the atmosphere for encore tracks Cosby Sweater - another cameo from K21 - and Rattling The Keys To The Kingdom.

The crowd went absolutely nuts. Special mention to the kid challenging people to rap battles outside the venue. Shoot for the stars, man.