Photo credit: Rémi Chauvin
Next up at Dark Mofo is a visit to the Altar Bar for what appears to be a Hip Hop show, even though this place very much looks like a Metal Bar. First up is Grace Chia, who stands onstage with only a DJ named DJ Then Some. After a bumping first song with a mix of tight rhymes and smooth melodies, she delivers a quick acknowledgement of country and shares her love with the traditional landowners.
What follows is a heap of thumping hip-hop tracks with incredibly technical rhymes delivered with impressive rhythm and intensity. A standout track in the middle of the set – which was possibly called Wake Me Up – was followed by a few political statements which I failed to keep up with. It was something about a lady named Mahsa Amini who was persecuted for failing to wear a hijab, or something of the like. I will let you investigate that one yourself though, and politics aside, Graces set was absolutely pumping!
A Sydney-based Sudanese rapper by the name of VV Pete stands onstage beside her DJ and Producer Utility while he gets some phat beats pumping. What happens next is VV & Utility launching into upbeat dance style hip hop that is full of short, catchy, repetitive hooks. If there is one thing I can fault here, and it is the only thing, it is that the backing tracks have a little too much vocal in them and at times it is hard to determine which vocals are the live vocal track from VV.
The crowd does not seem to mind, though as they quickly push forward and fill the dance floor. Every set of eyes in the crowd appears mesmerised at the larger-than-life stage presence of VV, who both demands and equally draws their attention to her. It is all a little bit too bouncy and too upbeat for me, but I am not who matters, the crowd does, and they undeniably love it!
A couple of hooded guys with blankets on their shoulder enter the stage and meet us know that it was “fucking cold out the back.” They then start a call/response chant of “if I say Angry, you say … blackmen.” And that is the name of this act, the headline act, Angry Blackmen.
They are angry as described in their name, and they have no problem telling us all that they are the word starting with N that is another term for black men, and that I am not allowed to say. The beats are thumping and heavy, and it has some serious Dub Step vibes to it amongst the phat Hip Hop beats. The pumping bass lines are shaking the entire venue now, and probably the two or three either side of it.
The Chicago-based hip hop duo of share Quentin Branch & Brian Warren share vocal duties through the set, with Brian taking the front of the stage most of the time and Quentin jumping in and out from behind the DJ Desk. They are an explosive and entertaining act, and Brian gets so excited that his eyes quite often roll in the back of his head mid-lyric delivery. And like a good metal show, Brian asks the crowd to split. Not so that they can run at each other like us silly metalheads, but so he can get down there amongst them and join in with all the fun!
This was a great show by all performers, and if you are into your hip hop, RNB and Rap, these three acts all names to look out for. Hobart, Sydney, and Chicago all represented their individual “hoods” for this one and the crowd loved every minute of it!
