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.