Live Review: Horrorshow, Home Brew, Jimblah

Horrorshow

Adelaide hip hop artist Jimblah opened the show mixing beats on an MPC – a stage technique that the triple-threat producer/singer/rapper pulled off with ease. While sidekick vocalist Georgia B wasn't quite at home on stage, Jimblah's palpable passion and unique rhythms made up for it. Second up was the New Zealand trio Home Brew who started straight up with a couple of new a cappella verses from MC Tom before launching into an entertaining and clever set of often tongue-in-cheek tracks trailing a bit of an Eminem influence.

Horrorshow's new album, King Amongst Many, has boosted the Sydney duo to new heights but I don't think that even they were prepared for how turned up and responsive their huge hometown crowd was willing to be.

With a projection of the pattern from their album cover lighting up the stage, “A-Diddy” emerged from behind a massive set-up that included two keyboards, while Solo mixed new album tracks with older favourites like All Summer Long, and grinned out at the crowd in apparent disbelief as they finished his lines for him, a sea of bouncing hands, rapping along to every song.

Bringing social awareness and poetry to some soulful production is what Horrorshow do best and after killing their new single, Unfair Lottery, and making sure everyone was feeling good Solo added, tapping at his own temple, “Are you thinking about this shit, Sydney?”

There was an adorable moment when Solo dedicated Make You Proud to his big brother, and as the audience blinked back tears, his bro appeared in the wings and came onstage for a hug. But the absolute highlights were the shiver-inducing Own Backyard – featuring Jimblah, who came out to share the song and showcase his singing prowess – and their closing track and live show favourite, The Rain, which they started with some vocal loops, building layers and tension and finished with a frenzy of jumping and some legit emotional arm-waving.

Perfectly crafted song selections and the fierce energy of young kids turning up with their parents and diving into the mosh gave this show the edge and nudged Horrorshow a step closer to world domination.