Jazz Café
17/11/2005
Kung Fu, London’s best hip hop club night, brought about a change of scenery as it upped sticks from the Underworld to bop across the road to the Jazz Café for the first time and boasted a might line up, headlined by the ever-fresh Jehst. Getting in just before The Colony took to the stage proved difficult as the venue was packed to bursting point, but once there the ears were treated to a tight set which included a somewhat controversial ending when Grimlock’s accapella ended in a line about Jamie Bulger. Nonetheless, the crowd were bopping and after some fine time filling by Sarah and Harry Love, Micall Parknsun and Dubble Edge bumped the stage with some nice heavy beats and again, got the crowd head nodding.
But whilst the support were good, and Mystro’s character never dimmed throughout the entire night as he hosted the show, it was nothing to when Billy Brimstone stepped to the stage with Asaviour and DJ IQ. The night was an album launch for his new EP “Nuke Proof Suit” and immediately the bass heavy beat dropped and the necks snapped and heads bounced as Jehst’s typical uncompromising flow showcased his new space-age lyrical content and ability to ride a beat so heavy it felt like we were being transported into the eye of Hurricane Katrina.
Asaviour proved himself to be more than just a hype man, winding his way left and right across the stage, belting out verses of his own, dropping a couple of his own tracks and feeling the beat like no other, with his eyes closed and a never ending bounce in his step. Sir Smurf Lil and Micall Parknsun both jumped on stage for a track to much delight. But four tracks really stood out which took the night to that next level shit. “Hydro Blowback“, one of the cuts on his new erupted from the speakers with an unnerving flow, the bass riding low under his vocals giving it a haunting quality, pushing you into a dark alley, leaving you paranoid and looking over your shoulder. The title track was also a sure fire winner. A stomping cruncher of a beat brought about high pitched yowling samples as Jehst pumped up the club tune making it impossible not to bus’ a move in your own little spot.
The final two tracks were what the crowd were baying for however, as Jehst dropped “People Under The Weather“, the scatting drums and hard snare snaps dragging heads forward and backward. Asaviour’s opening verse killed it immediately, as he showed no let up from his energetic performance before handing it over to Jehst whose river-like flow and delivery left some open mouthed, but most howling in delight. That howling only increased when “High Plains Anthem” finally wound its way to the ear drums, and it was more like a karaoke singalong than a performance, but that only made the atmosphere even better.
The rhymepage primate slammed himself back at the top of the tree after a couple of years out, and on tonight’s performance its going to be Jehst Proof Suits people will need, because this guy’s live set is pure radioactive material.
Sam Hesketh