The Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary defines the word ‘symbiosis’ as follows: “a mutually advantageous association or relationship between persons”. Arriving in time to catch the first band on tonight’s bill certainly proves to be a mutually advantageous experience. You could count the people in The Espy’s Gershwin Room on the fingers of one hand but those present feel the vibe and writhe about. Whispers of, “What’s this band called, do you know?” further demonstrate their instant appeal.
Symbiosis completely lack pretension and you’d be happy to be stuck next to any one of them at a BBQ. The infectious exuberance they bring means that the smiles on dials spread far beyond the footlights. Frontman Micka Etheridge supports ‘Movember’ perennially and looks like he would most definitely surf. His vocal sounds somewhere between James Reyne and John Butler and he even manages to make playing the wind piano look macho. Both Etheridge and the guitarist bravely go barefoot onstage and the band’s reggae stylings hold the small crowd hostage. Keyboard player Brendan ‘B’ Donahoo is a man possessed. He assaults the keys like Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek off on an improvisational tangent. Donahoo appears delighted with himself and jumps off his stool to get down with the beats whenever his fingers aren’t required. Truer lyrics were never sung, “Music’s like religion, that’s what keeps us real”. Etheridge plugs their forthcoming debut full-length album – watch and listen out for it come February.
Having reported a disastrous taxi ride via Chapel Street, Muph & Plutonic’s DJ Slap618 is true to his hype man title – “We’re gonna rock you like you’ve never rocked before”. Once Muph has been located, their set kicks off with a new track that’s not even available for our ears via MySpace. Familiar territory follows and we’re all Walking Tightropes. Slap618 beckons the crowd forward with promises that the music sounds better down the front even though it may taste better at the bar. Muph’s lyrics are witty to the extreme: “Just a dry root in a sumo suit, don’t feel much”. The beat craftsmanship is brought down a notch for Comfort Zone and a trademark of this trio seems to be the abrupt or echoing wrap-up. The Day Off rubs in the brutality of returning to work after extended holidays and Muph’s razor-sharp observational skills focus on a typical pattern of behavior for this time of year – “I’ll keep drinking ‘til it’s not fun”. Slap618 plugs in his laptop, “I’m gonna have to tell my Mum to stop sending me emails during a show”, he jests.
Muph has a Tom-Cruise-on-Oprah’s-couch moment as he bigs up his girl for making him smile – all together now, “AAWWWwwww!” Pessimists Like To Party Too tears it up and beverage consumption hasn’t sabotaged our fun just yet. Plutonic Lab beats the skins into submission in a stunning display of drumming that achieves ear-splitting pace. Heaps Good is recognised by many a bouncing punter and closer Leave Your Shoes At The Door seals the deal. There’s no reason why these cats shouldn’t share the hill with labelmates The Hilltop Hoods.
The annoying habit this audience has of nipping out to the front bar during set-up time means that the Resin Dogs (*Rock B, DJ Katch* and Dave Atkins) take to the stage to a very intimate crowd. A decade of sharing their beats with the Australian listening public warrants more bums on seats than this. The stragglers drift in eventually and haven’t missed much as the first few tracks performed exclusively by the Dogs leave us wanting more – to pick up precisely where Muph & Plutonic left off. The rest of the ticket holders dribble back in and just in the nick of time. The Dogs are renowned for selecting stellar guest MCs and for creating a loose party atmosphere. N’fa (from 1200 Techniques) and LA rap legend Abstract Rude strut out and prepare to take no prisoners. They perform the parts usually reserved for the flow of Mystro (*Low Life Records*, UK) and Hau (from Koolism) on Definition – “Don’t come follow me/ What’s the definition of a real MC?” There are some prime examples of wordsmith wizardry on display here with each MC employing his own unique technique. N’fa could spit anything: he looks so fine in his trilby hat that your ears can’t concentrate. Once you force them to, it’s all good in the hood. The joint is jumping despite the disappointing turnout.
Ab Rude introduces the Dogs as one of the hardest working hip hop bands before nearly wiping out on a stray mic lead. The stage is a danger zone. Not only are there cables splaying out in all directions but an extremely drunk dude constantly invades the performance space as he sits or stands on the top step leading to the stage, his finger in the faces of the MCs. Security! Muph’s lyrics from earlier resonate, “I’ll keep on drinking ‘til it’s not fun [for the rest of the crowd]”.
A retrospective mash-up heats things up and we’re back to the line-up sans guests. A killer drum solo from Atkins – a man who looks more like a tour manager than a musician – has the crowd shaking their heads in awe of his dexterity. The instrumentation of the Dogs is genre-splitting and sure to make you shake your thang. Each song could be the music from a different float at Carnivale. Set It Off does just that and it’s limbs akimbo! Ab Rude’s rapid-fire, baritone flow features on latest single Coming With The Sound atop deeper, darker, sexier sounds akin to Snoop Dogg psychedelia. Rock B sends big ups Triple J’s way for “giving our new single mad love” – an auspicious teaser from their new album More (co-produced by The Nextmen’s Brad Baloo). If the crowd reaction to this track is anything to go by, it will be much-requested. The Brisbane massive has done it again and it’s great to welcome them back to our shores after extensive touring abroad. Give these pioneers of Aussie hip hop some props!
