Live Review: Horrorshow, L-Fresh The Lion, Remi

A lot of well-known hip hop artists have been spreading the buzz about young gun REMi and as he warms the room on this icy June evening, it's easy to see why. This passionate young MC has everything: a talent for wordsmithery, a strong stage presence and an ear for great beats. His burgeoning radio hit Sangria has plenty of fans in the audience, but it's his closing track that really shows his potential to reach the next level. The as-yet-unnamed song is a hit in the making – ferocious, clever rhymes over a beat so filthy you could slip in it. Great stuff. L-Fresh The Lion is up next, and his set invigorates plenty of punters. He's an impressive lyricist with an impassioned political songwriting tendency, and his quick wit is reminiscent of the great battle MCs. If he can find a producer to give him some outside-the-box beats, he could produce something really special. 

The sold-out crowd are thrilled when Horrorshow step up on the stage, which is proof that you don't need Hottest 100 slots or ARIA-charting singles to build a sizable, dedicated fanbase. They whip the punters into a frenzy with a few choice older tracks, including No Rides Left, the brilliantly brassy Did You Hear and fan favourite All Summer Long. MC Solo works the crowd with ease. He's come a long way as a frontman since his nervous earlier shows (no doubt a couple of years on the road with some of Australia's biggest hip hop acts does wonders for one's onstage confidence). 

There's some new stuff to be played, too. Horrorshow will finally drop their third album in August after all and the fans are keen for a taste. They offer up a couple of new songs that suggest a focus on powerful, thought-provoking lyrics (particularly evidenced on new single Unfair Lottery) and some new aural inspirations courtesy of producer Adit. There's an inspired rendition of Thoughtcrime rapped over the beat for Ice Cube's You Can Do It, followed by a track featuring a very special surprise guest: The Herd's Jane Tyrrell. It's the old tracks that the crowd are really lapping up, though, which is understandable as it may be our last opportunity to hear some of them for a while. Everyone sings or raps along with Walk You Home, For What It's Worth and The Rain before the set closes with another brilliant new cut, Dead Star Shine. Horrorshow are well and truly back and, quite simply, this is great news.