Seminal west coast hip-hop act Cypress Hill need no introduction.  When their Latin-laced rhymes combined with dark side, smoke fuelled beats hit us back in the early nineties, it touched hip hop world wide.  From the rolling funk permeating American hip hop to the dark beats of the UK scene, Cypress Hill’s influence cannot be understated.  Equally influential has been their pro-marijuana stance, which saw them become the scourge of good boys and girls everywhere as purveyors of the dreaded demon weed, a pastime they would not overlook for tonight’s show.

Pushing my way past the numerous scalpers and the ever-ominous Arena security, I was greeted by the sounds of Figgkidd taking the stage.  If you believe his publicist then he is Australian hip-hop’s next big thing, but after a quick listen to his wackcent and yank flow I’m ready for some earplugs and a stroll around the crowd.

Even the most ardent Cypress Hill fan will admit the group have lost their way in recent years, opting for a cheese ridden and radio friendly rap-metal fusion rather than their classic blunted beats, giving way to a niggling feeling that tonight’s show could fall a little short of the classic OG Cypress performance that anyone reading this review would yearn for.  Wandering through the crowd only stirred those fears, as I literally battled my way through a sea of sweaty metal heads.

All fears were allayed as B-Real, Sen Dog, Dj Muggs and percussionist Bobo took to the stage without a guitarist in sight.  Coming out blasting like Yosemite Sam they ripped straight into Black Sunday classics “Lick a Shot” and “I ain’t going out like that” before finishing the barrage with “Insane in the Brain”. 

Strangely enough, crowd surfing seemed to be the order of the night and it wasn’t long before a procession of sweaty punters were hauled one by one out of the venue by security guards.  Before long the Arena was a swell of smoke and churning bodies as Cypress Hill barely slowed the pace for a second.

Although their newer tracks kept the crowd moving, it was classics like “Cock the Hammer”, “How I Could Just Kill a Man” and “When the Shit Goes Down” that sent the house into a spin.

The pace slowed slightly as “I Want to Get High” and “Hits from the Bong” saw building smoke density that must have come close to contravening fire safety guidelines.   This provided a perfect opportunity for the band to hit their under appreciated downbeat album Temples of Boom, finishing with “Illusions”.

With the crowd screaming for more it wasn’t long before Cypress Hill took to the stage for an ear drum demolishing encore, that finished with their hit “Rock/Rap Superstar”.  As steaming bodies and smoke poured from the Arena exits, to the sounds of an impromptu jam from Bobo and Muggs, this reviewer couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.  Cypress Hill may have lost their way production wise, but there is no doubt that they can rock a party with the best in the world.