Whenever I head off to a film or gig, I try to erase all expectation from my mind in the hope that I won't be disappointed. Such is my appreciation of Dan and Pip's music that I found it impossible not to be excited and full of beans as we approached the venue.
I'd heard a good report from an online contact about the gig in general, and she told me I should make an effort to see the first support act because they were pretty good. We had our fill of nasi goreng over the road and as we made our way upstairs to my preferred room at the old Zodiac the first act was in full flow. And what a flow it was.
Sound of Rum are a south-London threesome made up of poet and vocalist Kate Tempest, drummer Ferry Lawrenson and guitarist-cum-loopster Archie Marsh and his gadgetry. The first thing that came to mind as we entered was 'Shit, this is good' and they continued to impress until the end of their set. Archie's chilled chords and layered loops made for a nice full sound, Ferry's jazz-fused hip hop drums were as tight as you like and impressed further with a flawless 15/8 track. The real star of the act, as it should be, is frontwoman Kate Tempest. From the outset her lyrical style was creative and imposing without being pretentious or invasive. She seemed so into performing that it was difficult not to be entirely absorbed in the mixture of hip hop, rock and electronica. Her charming charisma and love for fluid rhyming came across from the first note to the last breath. Sound of Rum are definitely one to watch.
The second act was soloist B Dolan, an east-coast American with self-effacing humour and a sharp word for hecklers. While his loops were interesting and his style energetic, his performance was average, that I'm not inspired to write more.
The stage was set for the main event, laptops booted and wine chilled, Dan le Sac took to the stage and fired-up the choppy intro to highlight of the first album, Beat That My Heart Skipped. Scroobius Pip joined him to release his lively, kinetic UK lexicon into the wild. Brief vocal and banter-filled interludes kept us all amused; being part of a large crowd shouting 'BITCH NEXT DOOR' at the tops of their voices will stick with me forever after Dan and Pip complained about the sound in the room being subdued because of irritable neighbours.
Both Dan and Pip were really interactive and made us feel like we were part of the show. I'm not usually pleased about crowd involvement because it often seems contrived and forced and a bit weak, but they were funny and bright and without that interaction the gig wouldn't have been the same.
Not only was the banter bright, but the music was uplifting and challenging without being overtly political or dictating. Rhymes about suicide sat comfortably next to tunes about self-improvement without seeming out of place, fat jungle beats effortlessly complemented slower house-styled and hip hop rhythms. A good crowd, awesome acts and wonderful company made this gig shoot straight to the top three gigs I've ever been to.
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