Jazz Café
29/04/06
Now I admit, I’m not the biggest De La Soul fan in the world. I like a fair few of their songs, but I wouldn’t put them in any of my top artists lists, but after seeing them rock the Jazz Café for almost 2 hours, I now know they are definitely on a must-see artists list.
The venue was packed, but the vibe was chilled until the three men came onto the stage, and then the entire place just went ape. Not only were the two MCs ready to get every single last person in the place involved in the show with their constant back and forths with the crowd, but Maseo stepped out from behind the decks with his infamous Transylvanian cackling laugh at gave the crowd a show of his skills on the mic too.
After the entire venue had declared to the men on stage that they loved hip hop forever, and we’d been with a triple beatbox, the anthem Me, Myself and I bellowed out and was met by a sea of raised arms and pumping fists. In between classics like that and the entrance of 5 women from the crowd being allowed up to dance on stage, De La showed they hadn’t lost any of their charisma and love for the music in the long time they’ve been around.
The songs that sounded the best to me, were the relatively new ones, the snare drum in Oooh and Rock Cocaine Flow were ridiculously brash and forced the head back and forth and the brilliant All Good almost stole the show. But what really took the night to that higher level was the closing track of Ring Ring Ring, when every single person in the venue was reciting the chorus and the beaming smiles were plastered across De La’s face.
Full of energy, soul and most importantly, fun, this was a show I’m delighted I went to. If you get the chance to check out a live De La show, make sure you do it.