After tearing the roof off the Shores back in 2005 as part of the Bugg’n Tour alongside DJ Kool and Rahzel The Human Beatbox, America’s most blunted return to familiar ground to inaugurate the long-awaited follow-up to their landmark LP, Blackout 2.

Since dropping their “it’s been a long time coming” debut album in September last year, Headstrong Company have been running rings around Adelaide’s live hip hop circuit. Sporting a keen following, the Headstrong boys proved to be perfect candidates to get the crowd hyped for a night of pure hip hop entertainment.

DJ Scratch of EMPD fame kept the energy levels rising by spinning an intoxicating golden era hip hop mix. Covering all bases, he played homage to the movers and shakers including KRS-One, The Beatnuts, Dead Prez and MOP, as well as some of the elemental rudiments of hip hop’s roots such as The Jackson 5’s ABC. Throwing in some chin scratching trickery just for show, Scratch did not cease to impress.

The crowd knew who was up next. The time had come for Mr Meth and the Funk Doctor Spock to bring the ruckus. And they did no less. Hip hop’s answer to Cheech and Chong, Method Man and Redman controlled the mic, continually feeding off of each other’s energy, bouncing punch lines back and forth, and generally being extremely entertaining. Accompanied by Meth’s dubious protégée Streetlife, the on-stage antics were flying left, right and centre. How High and Da Rockwilder practically blew up the spot.

Meth belted Bring the Pain while Redman’s smoothest yet Tonight’s Da Night made my night. There was plenty of audience interaction, crowd surfing, and excessive promo for High How 2...coming to a cinema near you. In the true hip hop spirit, Red and Meth dedicated Shimmy Shimmy Ya in reverence for ODB, while a Jam Master Jay tribute was sealed with the duo’s own old skool revival, Rapper’s Delight. Making sure to include a healthy amount of Wu-material, the show was complete – dare I say…completely and utterly seamless.

Just as it was almost five years ago, this will be a show to remember.