Last night it was time to fix up, look sharp and go absolutely bonkers as UK grime-hip hop maverick Dizzee Rascal returned to Brisbane to remind all and sundry he's still at the top of the rap game.
On a relatively cool February evening (for Queensland), another massive crowd gathered, packed in like sardines, at The Fortitude Music Hall (7 February), the energy sizzling in anticipation of the evening ahead that offered more than a simple release from the mundane – there was a tactile-quality to the energy emanating from this collective of humans.While standing in line for an adult beverage, there was a moment of clarity, the mood hopeful, uplifted, a genuine spirit wafting across the osmosis as cool, chilled, R&B-laced hip hop cooed through the PA. It felt like a classic storyline novel, a mysterious fragrance hovering above our heads, the crowd's temperature rising – it's the lift-up kids.
The Tiesto-laced dark-core bass-heavy reverb of 'Bad Behaviour' enters the speakers as the stage darkens and the crowd's zest literally explodes in a powder-keg of Friday-night enthusiasm, a heaving mass of sultry humanity instantly engaged in the beat.
A golden hued yellow light splays across the audience as that familiar deep-tone voice booms: "Brisbane? What the f... is going on," Dizzee instantly owning the crowd, who at this point, thirty seconds into the gig are more boisterous than this veteran writer can recall (if I blinked, at times it seriously felt like 2005 the energy was that gnarly).
Alongside his hype man, Aaron Williams aka Bigman Scope, Dizzee was feeding off the explosive vibrancy of the crowd as he said: "Brisbane, it's ya, bae. . . my name is Dizzee Rascal. . . this already feels like the best night of the tour!"
The beat drops on 'Jus' A Rascal' and this crowd is going feral in the best way, the mood intoxicating as random confetti drifts down from the rafters, a casualty of The Flaming Lips' stage theatrics two nights earlier.
Dizzee's spits are still pure fire, with a machine-gun accuracy as the crowd bound uncontrollable by end of second song, arm-banging all the way to back of the venue. Seriously, is this Bristol '02. "Friday night Brizzie, bruh," states Dizzee, visibly moved by this intensity.
With the mood swirling like a circling panther, Bigman Scope and Dizzee capitalised, pitting the crowd against one another in a who-can-scream-loudest competition, Scope picking the left-hand side after some deliberation... before Dizzee sidled in questioning that choice, extending the vocal warfare that quickly (as ordered by the MCs) turned belligerent as we yelled "f... you!" with flipped birds extended at the other side of the venue. . . there was a football match spirit to the affair, and the crowd was lapping it up.
Then it was "ooooooiiiiii!" as we properly fixed up, looking sharp, the classic jam bringing a tidal wave of nostalgia engulfing the room in pure joy before Dizzee teased the crowd, dropping the Buckley Mix of 'Bonkers', the room a little stunned to hear the anthem landing so soon in the set, but clearly enjoying the effervescent mood as they screamed for more bass.
Maintaining the manic momentum, next was 'Heavy' Dizzee's collab with Chase & Status the rave on the dance floor well and truly alight. It was pure, unadulterated sonic madness especially considering Dizzee's earpiece was hanging out.
The playful, house, synth tones of 'Dirtee Cash' creates a crowd-wide karaoke sing-along, while newer anthem 'Don't Gas Me' brings bouncy big beats, before Dizzee brings it down several gears with the gorgeous 'Chillin' Wiv Da Man Dem', the purple haze strong, the meandering rhythm the perfect antidote to the pure madness of the first hour of the set.
Dizzee then shares they can't do the next song: "We've broken the sound restrictions apparently, it's getting shutdown," before segueing into a grimey kumbaya rendition before a snigger gives it away: "We want bass my lord. . . give them the f...en bass. . . Brisbane!!!!!" A lot of bass junkies in Brisbane judging by the proper rinsing on the d-floor as 'Bassline Junkie' brought the dirty funk to cleanse our souls.
What was already an early contender for concert of the year, levelled up to the presidency suite when 'You've Got The Dirtee Love' entered the dance chamber at The Fortitude Music Hall; not gunna lie, I got lost in this moment, letting my spirit be carried by Florence's angelic vocals as Dizzee and Bigman Scope brought their own intensity: "Check it, that's right, that's right!"
It hit like a tidal wave of emotions, the live feels slamming harder than a sledge hammer on NYE five levels deep into depression, the song's energy exploding like a wall of noise intent on emotional destruction. Supremely beautiful. Definitely not an oxymoron.
Dizzee then dropped his 2024 collab with rising UK rave artist efan, 'Filthy Bassline', the crowd yet again dancing themselves into a higher gear, the sweat literally slapping from arm to arm, the glee purely evident on these eager ravers.
The vintage, deep dive cut 'Stop Dat' preceded the set's finale 'Bonkers', the crowd's unbridled passion finally bursting like a broken dam, the entire Music Hall a heaving mass of humanity, dancing out every last ounce of energy in an orgy of shared connections. UK grime dub heaven. . . this is end-of-school-year energy bae!
Thank you Dizzee; I'll remember that performance for quite sometime. Pure adrenaline.
