5/09/2003
As Miss Ribbon was quite unwell, I stepped in to take her place as reviewer for the night, not that I was going to miss the Herbaliser anyway! Having seen them way back in 1997, I’ve seen them each subsequent time they’ve been in Adelaide since, and am yet to be disappointed.
I got there just as Noodle & The Activist were ending their set. From what I heard, it sounded like it would have been a lot of fun, with lots of b-boy party breaks from Ugly Duckling, the Beastie Boys, and the like, which always gets a party moving.
Then Red Monika came on, and having never seen them I was interested in what they have to offer. Well, I was NOT disappointed, as these guys rock. Adelaide’s answer to the Beastie Boys perhaps! Full of youthful energy and funky rhymes, the guys were running all over the stage, and keeping the crowd very entertained. I don’t know any of the tune’s names, but I particularly liked when they pulled the girl on stage and sung about sex. It was a very humorous moment! And the MC they referred to as “Broken” because of his crippled leg is one of the finest beat boxers I’ve heard in ages. Not nearly as good as Rhazel (then again, who is?), but a million times better than Timberlake!
Reflux played a decent effort after the Red Monika boys, but didn’t have the energy to keep the dance floor sustained, and the floor emptied of crew as they wet their whistle with the very generous bar prices. I’m not normally one to rant about prices… beer is beer and my philosophy is if you want to drink it you will, but it’s damn nice to get decent change from a fiver for a pint!
As Reflux finished up, the crowd grew again as we waited in anticipation for the Herbaliser. Starting off playing the wickedly named “Verbal Anime” acapella feat Rakaa Iriscience from Dilated Peoples over the top of Eminem was simply the start of an amazing mash of vocals and instrumentals, expertly cut and scratched by Ollie Teeba and well timed by Jake Wherry. Seemingly working off pure sound alone, not appearing to talk to one another, they worked to produce some amazing blends of tunes that were unexpected and yet sounded spot on.
My favourite part of the set came next when they pulled out the old 45’s, playing new sampled material over the original funk tunes, then morphing into an all funk set. This gave Adelaide a taste of what “diggin’ in the crates” REALLY means, as they played tunes that still rock the dance floor 40 years on. It’s great to experience some of the old Northern Soul vibe and tunes from an era and part of music history that is all but unknown in Australia. The problem with these records is that they’re rather fragile, as demonstrated as Jake picked up half a record off the platter with a cheeky grin.
After the funk, they started to play old school hiphop, which is fairly typical for the Herbaliser, but showing their true colours they had to mess with our minds a little. As Grand Master Flash’s “The Message” played, softly at first and then becoming louder in the mix was a tune I never thought I would ever hear in either a Herbaliser set, nor mixed with this fine tune. One minute we were dancing to “The Message”, and the next “Crazy In Love” by Beyonce! And then, to make it that much more humorous, the guys mixed a Timberlake song with DJ Food’s Spiral, which had me in open mouthed amazement!
It’s this sense of fun that makes me a huge fan of the Herbaliser and the Ninja Tunes stable in general, and will have me raving about them until next time they come. I’ve seen them four times now, and have never gotten bored like I do at other shows *cough* drumandbass *cough* as they play the most unexpected tunes in an unconventional yet very cool manner, and seem to get into it as much as the audience. The Herbaliser were indeed wicked, and are a must-see for any fans of hiphop and funk. Let’s just hope that next time they visit Adelaide they bring the 8 piece band for the ride!