Live Review: Schoolboy Q, Isaiah Rashad

It's good to see the majority of punters from this sold out show have turned up to catch opening act Isaiah Rashad, as the man from Tennessee delivers a fierce and engaging performance from the moment he opens proceedings with Ronnie Drake. He says it perfectly in one of his standout tracks Soliloquy when he states, “I ain't your every day normal brother,” as tonight, he is definitely much more than that – he's got the bold, swag-laden energy to get this young crowd hyped when he needs to, which is balanced with a degree of humility and a complete generosity of spirit. Rashad has a remarkable ability to make everyone in the room feel like a part of the show, resulting in dancing and hands being thrown in the air on command. At one stage he even asks for the lights to be directed on the audience so he can take a look at his fans. Shot You Down is another highlight of the night, as well as an incredibly well received rendition of RIP Kevin Miller.
In a move which could be argued to be almost anti-gangster, Schoolboy Q takes the stage pretty much on time, which is surprising, but also impressive and appreciated. You can tell this guy means business because the bass level is immediately cranked right up – the frequency is so loud and low that it feels like a tremendous thunder pulsing through your body. Like Rashad before him, Schoolboy is incredibly good at working the crowd and utilising the stage. He ventures to talk to the audience a little more; at one stage asking all the ladies to shout out, then asking all the ladies who came with their boyfriends to shout out, before finally asking, “What the fuck did you bring your boyfriend to my show for?!” Tonight is all about his latest album Oxymoron, and as such almost all tracks are featured. While most of this crowd are probably too hyped up to notice, the set is masterfully balanced – we get some slower moments where the beats really shine and become transporting, as heard in the likes of Prescription/Oxymoron, countered with tracks that are more in the moment and energetic, such as Collard Greens, Man Of The Year and Fuck LA which have every person in the crowd bouncing and rapping along. Once the set finally wraps up, Schoolboy returns for an incredibly brief encore before calling it a night. By the end of it, there is probably more THC in the air than oxygen, with Schoolboy himself doing his bit throughout the night to contribute, and not many are complaining.