Live Review: Rudimental, GRMM

From supporting Ed Sheeran at AAMI Park to a gig on the rooftop of radio studio Fox FM, UK drum, bass and electronic outfit Rudimental had been somewhat nostalgic, spinning mostly tracks from their award-winning debut album Home (2013). And with such feet-happy memories like Right Here, Free and Feel The Love, how could they go wrong?

But tonight is going to be different. With their new album We The Generation freshly unwrapped just a couple of months ago, this is prime opportunity for them to plump us with new offerings.

The midweek crowd at the Forum are mostly young with a slight air of discernment in dance music. GRMM (Sydney-sider Benn Markos) starts off the evening spinning very slinky electronic and hip hop grooves with a generous R&B vibe from his latest EP Die Young. With several guest contributions — notably that of vocalist Thandie Phoenix —  GRMM is definitely a few notches above an average DJ, and keeps his multi-layering, pulsating beats slightly edgy but crisp.

Rudimental's ten member ensemble emerge on stage in groups of three, with a climatic entrance reserved for the whooping high jumps of its core founders, Piers Agget (keyboards), Amir Amor (bass guitar), Kesi Dryden (percussion), and DJ Locksmith (Leon Rolle). Their latest stable of ever rotating guest vocalists, in keeping with the band's mantra, are talented but otherwise low profile singers as opposed to the famous line-up they feature on their albums. Anne-Marie, Bridgette Amofah, Will Heard (who doubles on the saxophone), and another male vocalist they affectionately nickname 'Tom Jones' fit snugly into the band's culture. The results here are better than at AAMI Park when lower registered notes were barely audible to the boom crash of Beanie Bhebhe's hyperkinetic drumming, particularly when Heard filled in for Ed Sheeran's vocals on Lay It All On Me. He repeats it again tonight and dashes any high hopes that everybody's favourite impish red-haired singer might make a peep-show appearance to compensate for the lack of onstage collaborations during his gigs over the weekend. It was not to be. However, Rudimental's version of Bloodstream with Jones's vocals is just as addictive and deliriously cerebral, with Locksmith auguring for delayed gratification by making the audience crouch down low to wait for his signal to the final climatic release. When he does so, the floor of the Forum feels like a trampoline as the audience lunges back up into the air as one in feverish jumps and fist pumps.

The techno duet Rumour Mill, funky reggae anthem Go Far and brass fuelled ballad Love Ain't Just A Word prove that Rudimental is not just about blending high energy music with no discernible genres. Although just as diverse, their beats are more subterranean and infectious. 

Their encore of New Day speaks of their dedication in honouring Bobby Womack's dying wish. "It's the first time we played that," Locksmith quietly smiles. Anne-Marie gives the most soulful performance of the night with the all-powerful Waiting All Night before we are ushered home, pumped to the core and aching for their return.