There was a slightly odd vibe to this show. The majority of the crowd seemed to divide into two groups: friends of the performers and Kiwis. On the plus side, this meant that just about everyone was there to see the music, something that seems to be increasingly rare in Sydney. The warm-up DJs performed to an almost empty room, with the small crowd of early arrivers just about all outside. The ForeignDub and Basslines crews, both usual suspects for this sort of gig, acquitted themselves admirably, with the Basslines crew particularly impressive.

Ladi6 has worked with many of the big names in New Zealand music, including Fat Freddy’s Drop and Shapeshifter. The track ‘In the Rain’ which features on Shapeshifter’s new album, is absolutely stunning, and I was quite excited to check out her live show. Very early on in her set she told us that Scribe was her first cousin, and I am unsure why she felt she needed to tell us this. She is obviously a very talented singer and MC (evidenced by the fact that she was able to hold her own while sharing the stage with Sydney MC Hyjack), so it wasn’t like there was any need to rely on Scribe’s name.

Backed by the equally talented DJ Parks, who not only provided beats, but also sang and even played acoustic guitar during the encore, Ladi6 did not disappoint. Her music has been called “soulful hip-hop”, which is probably as good a description as any. It was unfortunate that there was not a larger crowd, as there seemed to be a little energy missing. I look forward to checking out her debut solo album which is currently being written.

It’s been a year or two since I last saw Budspells, and they too did not disappoint. Consisting of a drummer, a guy on laptop and electronic whiz-bangery and the huge voice of Kye, their music walks a line between dub, d’n’b and hip-hop. They opened their set with the Wicked Beats Sound System track ‘Do The Things’, but it was a beefed up and tougher sounding version – great stuff. They also made use of the talents of Hyjack, but again it was disappointing not to have a larger crowd. Those on the dance floor were having fun, but the skills of those on stage deserved more attention.

All in all, this was a night that showcased the ample talents of a number of performers to too few punters. We can only hope that the promoters continue to put on such quality nights, and that more people support them.