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The discerning folk from Astral People have brought one of contemporary hip hop's finest, Freddie Gibbs, back down to Australia for a very in-demand tour, playing in smaller, intimate venues to complement his very underground hip hop sound. Gibbs has come a longer way than his time in the spotlight would suggest, with him only really hitting a worldwide audience following his acclaimed 2010 mixtape Str8 Killa No Filla. What fans see before them now is a rapper with a world of confidence behind him, using that air of authenticity and his rough and tough street-minded raps to adapt to any beat that's thrown at him. That's why his 2014 collaboration album with Madlib, Piñata, worked so very well; that's why this first Sydney show was completely sold out.
The Basement is always one of the best venues for a hip hop gig, and so Astral made full use of this and gave us a worthy line up. Baro was supporting, one of Melbourne's brightest up and comers, and someone who fit in well with the night; even if his music is worlds apart from Freddie's. The 17 year old Melbournian is much more in the vein of Odd Future, with his live show staying faithful to what one would expect when listening to him on record. He struts around slowly, pacing around the stage while spitting out his laid-back rhymes over low key, jazz-infused beats. Tracks like "Travellin' Through Time" and "Lookin' for Home" went down very well with the growing crowd, showing off the kids penchant for easy-listening hip hop and asserting his status as the next big success story in Australian hip hop.
Captain Franco from Sydney DJ collective Halfway Crooks opted for a set of 'turn up' tracks from the likes of ILoveMakonnen, Drake, Meek Mill with some older tracks from David Banner, 50 Cent, and Lil' Wayne (when he was at his best). It's depressing to hear ILoveMakonnen's viral - and 100% garbage - track at a Freddie Gibbs show, but aside from that, Franco's selections gave the crowd what they craved: energy.
2Pac and Snoop Dogg's"2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" introduced Gangsta Gibbs, who ran around the stage bouncing to the classic hit. There were only two chants Freddie wanted us to repeat throughout the night, "fuck police" and "ESGN", he made this very clear before launching into opening track "Lay It Down", getting amongst the fans as they finish every sentence. Gibbs' style of performing has the DJ cutting off the beat many times, with most tracks starting acapella and the beat dropping in on the second verse. With the acapella style, Gibbs shows off the flawless control he maintains over his grizzly, breathless flow. His delivery is fluid, even when he's running around the stage, darting from side to side and getting up close to his fans.
Three songs in and Gibbs quickly pulled out two Piñata cuts, "Thuggin" and "Harold's", showcasing 2014's quintessential hip hop album by giving us two of it's best in a raw, uncut fashion. The same can be said for "Deeper", which took everyone by surprise as Gibbs wasted no time getting into the rhythmic bars right after he tore the roof of the venue with the dark, anthemic "Rob Me a Ni**a".
An untitled new song that, according to Gibbs, he wrote only a few days before he jumped on a plane from the U.S, made it's way into the set, previewing the upcoming LP Lifestyles of the Insane with a massive, energetic and forceful single that seems designed for chant-a-longs in a live setting.
The brilliant "Eastside Moonwalker" quickly followed before Gibbs really turned the heat up with "Old English" and the closing "BFK". Although he finished his set after that, Gibbs didn't leave the stage, bouncing up and down to tracks from the likes of Gucci Mane before his entourage picked some girls from the crowd to come dance with him while the rest either watched on half bouncing, half looking confused, and the rest made their way for the exits.
The set list had a few glaring omissions (like "National Anthem") and surprisingly focused more on Gibbs' solo mixtape and album cuts rather than the more recent, acclaimed Pinata. Despite that relatively small disappointment, Gibbs put on a satisfying performance, showcasing true talent rather than just hot song after hot song.
Set List
Lay It Down
Still Livin'
Thuggin'
Harold's
Kush Cloud
Have U Seen Her?
Rob Me a Ni**a
Deeper
The Hard
Untitled New Song
Eastside Moonwalker
Old English
BFK
Freddie Gibbs Australian Tour 2015 Remaining Dates
Thursday 26th February - The Basement, Sydney **NEW SHOW**
Tickets: http://www.moshtix.com.au/
Friday 27th February - Villa, Perth
Tickets: http://www.moshtix.com.au/
Saturday 28th February - Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Tickets: http://cornerhotel.com/
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