British trailblazer Mike Skinner brought The Streets to Melbourne's Palace Foreshore, with an entire play-through of their 2004 sophomore album, 'A Grand Don't Come For Free'.
With a talented ensemble of musical minds onstage with Skinner, the band has established themselves as pioneers of UK garage and grime, and an incredible influence on many premier current acts.
This tour is the first time the album has been played in its entirety anywhere in the world, something the heavily British crowd did not take for granted.
Sydney's Shady Nasty were the perfect addition to the event, performing a high-intensity set with a distinct Australian flair.
Still riding the wave that has only grown in size with recent collaborations with music juggernauts Fred again.. and KETTEMA, they blended their post-punk instrumentals with elements of rap and shoegaze. Clearly artists to watch, they opened the evening (5 March) with an original sound that rivalled the main act.
The Streets entered the stage with a version of the famous album cover plastered behind them. The iconic blaring of horns signalled the start of 'It Was Supposed To Be So Easy', the crowd cheering as Skinner's brash vocals cut through.
The Streets - image © Danielle Annetts
Quickly moving through the tracklist with rapid changes in tempo, the beautifully slow and introspective 'Dry Your Eyes' provided a sing-along moment for fans, while crowd favourite 'Fit But You Know It' provided punters with laughter.
Skinner's stage presence was palpable, oscillating from swaggering bravado to slumping across a stool like a drunk at a bar. This brought a storytelling element to a performance that already felt immersive.
In a powerful moment, Skinner's silhouette was cast across the iconic Palais Theatre, a fitting end to the initial album performance.
The Streets - image © Danielle Annetts
After brief intermission, The Streets returned onstage to perform classics from other albums. The garage-style beats of 'Don't Mug Yourself' had the St Kilda crowd rolling.
They finished with the iconic hit that started it all, 'Has It Come To This?'. Chants of the iconic line "original pirate material" rang out as the concert reached its finale.
True to form, Skinner convinced the crowd to form a path from the stage to the bar. Upon securing a beverage, the frontman surfed across the crowd and reached the stage with almost choreographed timing. A well-earned beer for the ultimate crowd pleaser.
