Category: Music

Spank Rock

Brixton Academy
05.09.07

“Listen all o’y’all this is Sabotage” screamed the crowd as the Beastie Boys closed their set to a baying Brixton Academy. There is no doubt about it, that line summed up the evening and left everyone happy as the New Yorkers were able to roll back the years and show the world that nobody can rock a set like they can.

The night started off with a brilliant set from Baltimore Gutter Champs Spank Rock who brought the blazing basslines and bleeping wonderment that can be found on their album. With MC Spank Rock strutting his way across the stage in the tightest jeans ever made, the set came alive and turned from a mere opening slot to a near complete set in itself. With live drummers comnig on stage to pound rhythms over the beats, the crowd that had come in early were treated to Rick Rubin, Backyard Betty and Sweet Talk before being told by the dancing MC to “shake it til my dick turn racist”.

One they had departed and the Beasties were introduced by Mix Master Mike’s Thunderbirds style countdown, the roof went off. Opening with Super Disco Breaking and flying into the ever popular Sure Shot, the suited and booted trio swaggered around stage knowing already the crowd were in the palm of their collective hands. When No Sleep Til Brooklyn was screamed across the venue, it really went down, bodies moved, people shouted and carnage ensued.

Mixing up instrumentals from their new album, which worked surprisingly well, with rowdy punk numbers like Egg Raid On Mojo and Heart Attack Man was genius, never once slipping out of place and of course hearing tunes like Ch-Check It Out, Triple Trouble, Whatcha Want, Remote Control and my favourite Beasties track 3 MCs And 1 DJ made the night more special than I could ever have imagined.

The banter was great, with Mike D the clear mouthpiece for the band though Adrock perhaps stole the show by telling the crowd to stop filming the set on the phone and actually enjoy the show. Everything worked, from Mix Master Mike’s scratching cameos, to Money Mark’s one man mosh pit and even though they didn’t play Fight For Your Right…, it was made up for by the singalong of Intergalatic in the encore.

Ch-Check it out, they were fucking fresh.

Abjekt
Photo by Moose.

Amphitheater Car Park, Minneapolis
29.07.07

Getting to an already packed out queue to go into an enormous car park at the baseball stadium of the Twins in the blazine heat wasn’t my idea of fun. However, a quick phonecall later and my guestlist wristband was letting me jump infront of huge numbers of emo-by-numbers kids and straight into the shade.

After catching up with some of the Doomtree cats at their merch booth, we went over to see Chiodos on one of the bigger stages and though I can’t say I was really into their music [which basically went scream-singsong-brush hair out of eyes-singsong-scream], the hoardes of kids that were pushing their way to get a look in seemed to love every second of it.

Wandering around catching glimpses of the likes of Funeral For A Friend, Biffy Clyro and Bad Religion was interesting, seeing which type of fan went to see which band, before we went over to the hip hop part of the tour – a small tent with some laminated flooring outside. Just in time too as we caught One BeLo‘s set which he rocked perfectly despite most people walking past the tent as a passage to the mainstage.

After the former Binary Star rapper had done his thing, it was time for the Doomtree invasion. Billed as a solo set from Mike Mictlan followed by another solo set from Sims, it descended into almost a full crew show with P.O.S. and Dessa getting in on the vocal action and MK Larada being chill by the side of the stage. Hearing the new songs that I’d heard at last year’s Blowout was amazing as each of the 4 rappers gave the ever-increasing crowd in their hometown their own invidivual steelo.

After a little break to go and make the most of a nearby air conditioned Thai restaurant [thanks in no short measure to our guest bands allowing us re-entry to the event!], we went to watch the always explosive Gallows. Standing on the stage and looking at the crowd who began quite tentative but then grew into a rushing circle pit was a great site.

And though no-one in the crowd could understand a single word Frank said until the word “cunt” was uttered, the Watford boys made the most of the 25 minutes they had been allocated, ending with Orchestra Of Wolves including a guest appearance by a cetain member of Poison The Well on guitar.

All in all, despite the 90+ temperatures, it was a brilliant day out. Doomtree blew it up for the Twin Cities and Gallows repped their end for the UK, a perfect mix for your favourite travelling reviewer.

Words and photos by Abjekt.