ATCQ Caps Australian tour with scintillating Melbourne show
Written by Abukar Ahmed and Mikolai (of www.lifelounge.com)
It’s official: Melbourne is the best. Q-Tip confirms our long held suspicions within minutes of taking the stage. The crowd laps it up, while those who have attended more than a handful of hip hop shows simply give a wry smile and salute with overpriced rum and cokes. A Tribe Called Quest may have disbanded back in 1998 but they still know how to rock a show.
With the show having sold out within two weeks upon it's announcement in late June, as expected, Festival Hall was at full capacity.
Kool Kieth opened the show and De La Souls Plug 3 and official DJ really turned things up a notch. Working the ones and two's with blase finesse, Plug 3 livened the atmosphere spinning nostalgic 90s hits from Biggie right through to The Fugees.
While the crowd ardently engaged with Maseo's serenading set, soon everyone in attendance was anxiously ready for the main event.
Pumped and ready for the highlight of the night, the crowd goes beserk as the venue lights finally dim. The chants start, and hands clap. The beat drops for ATCQ’s signature tune ‘Steve Biko' and there they were. For the first time ever in the Southern Hemisphere, the eminent A Tribe Called Quest, featuring all the original members, celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album... On AUSSIE SOIL. Mr. Muhammad, The Abstract and The Five Foot Assassin, together, on-stage in Melbourne for probably a once in a lifetime show.
The group kicks things off with a cool performance of 'Steve Biko (Stir it Up)' followed by 'Phony Rappers' before Q-Tip takes a moment to remind all in attendance that they’ve “been doing this for a minute”. With a stranglehold on hip hop for much more than a minute, Tribe have been trailblazing for two illustrious decades now. This tour is supposed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, and take their live show to previously uncharted territories.
There’s certainly an interesting mix of people out to see the group – a combination of criminals, hipsters, hip hop dudes, b-girls and randoms – apparently we can all get along. In any case, the crowd is relaxed and mellow and there’s none of the wild-eyed meth addicts you might encounter ruining other historic hip hop shows. (*cough* Wu Tang *cough*)
Running through a medley of Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders classics, Tribe soon settle into their set list. They may have only played a handful of shows in recent years (and Phife is still recovering from health problems), but they Marshall the stage with youthful exuberance , working the crowd and the stage with a paired-back mix of turntables (Ali Shaheed overseeing things from his raised perch) and a couple of mics.
While the nuances of Tribe’s jazz-based production gets lost to Festival Hall’s sound system, there’s no mistaking the intro to 'Sucka Nigga'. The track is an early highlight and leaves more than 3000 white people wondering if they’re supposed to sing along – most do.
Q-Tip pauses after this to inform us that it’s Ali Shaheed’s birthday and we all wish him well before the opening strains of 'Can I Kick It?' seep through the speakers. Wait… They wanna start over? Oh shit! Jarobi (the original fourth member of the group) is suddenly on stage. Dude left after the first album but he’s been brought back in recent years and his inclusion makes the crowd go suitably stupid as they sing the iconic chorus line. Things peak again when Q-Tip does a little, brady bunch inspired, beatbox intro to 'Bonita Applebum'. The girls swoon and 'Electric Relaxation' is the perfect follow-up.
"That's our time Melbourne, they're kicking us outta here." The Abstract suddenly announces.
And then it’s all over.
Only it’s not. Though cunning, the feigned 'this is the end' ploy doesn't dupe anyone for even a second, and those in attendance soon chant in unanimity for an encore. Feet stomp and hands punch the air as the chants of the eager revelers reverberates through the venue. Before long, the group is takes the stage all over again for a dynamic medley featuring The Low End Theory favourites, 'Buggin' Out', 'Scenario' and 'Check the Rhyme' which works to slams the eager faithfuls into absolute rhapsody.
Again, "thanks and goodnight Melbourne, you've been real!". And once more they disappear into the darkness, retreating backstage.
But no.
Wait.
False alarm.
After another episode of fervent encore demands ensues, the guys quickly oblige, re-emerging for a second encore. Shaheed Mohamed, let's loose the instrumental to Award tour, much to the crowds roaring approval. It's only a tease however, as Shaheed back-spins the intro. Q-tip interjects the boos ringing through the arena asking everyone "are we ready to really do this? Can we do it again? I said, can we do it again!?".
The crowd erupts once more, and Shaheed leads back into Award tour, before again back-spinning. Anticipation brews, as The Abstract again delves into a hype mode. He again enquires if "Melbourne really ready for this? Can we do it again?!" The crowd responds by pebbling him with electric energy.
Shaheed experiments. The intro resumes from the top again. Phife and Q-tip guage the crowds engagement as the intro's keys ring through the venue, then...
the kick, the kick, the kick, the kick THEN...
"We on a world tour, with Muhammad my man!" ENTER THE HEAVY HEAVY BASS:
"Award Tour"
... NO BACKSPIN this time, and Festival Hall erupts with revelers bouncing to Q-tip's (and even the weary Phife Dawg's) vivacious and electrifying lead.
Tonight fans, not only of this seminal hip-hop squad, but hip hop heads period were treated to the sublime best that the genre, nay ... that live music in general has to offer. Q-tip closes the show, declaring "Oh and Melbourne IS better than Sydney". In evidence that speaks volumes about the fact that this was more than just the usual banter, only a couple nights earlier at their Sydney show, Q-tip didn't even bother re-emerging for neither of the two encores, leaving it to Phife and Shaheed to take care of. Dissimilarly, in Melbourne, not only did he re-emerge for the two encores, he did it with so much gusto, it took him above and beyond ... running through the crowd and climbing his way to the seated section to ensure the party extended to even the farthest reaches of Festival Hall.
Enjoy another highlight after the jump
Can I Kick It ft. Jarobi
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UPDATE (courtesy of inthemix):
"While ATCQ diehards in other cities might’ve missed out on the short two-date tour, there’s at last some good news to wash that envy-green skin tone away with news arriving today that fans would be seeing more of Tribe very soon as longtime members Phife Dawg and Ali Saheed Muhumad will return to Australian turf for a string of shows this summer. What’s even better is the news that they’ll be bringing some unannounced guests from the Native Tongues label with them too making the tour that much more special."
Dates
Phife D & Ali of A Tribe Called Quest 2010 tour:
Friday 26th November – The Metro Theatre, Sydney
Saturday 27th November – The Esplanade Hotel, Melbourne
Friday 3rd December – The Bakery, Perth
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