Music > Live Reviews

Dave

The Nick Rayns LCR, UEA

26/04/19

Dave’s Waterfront show of 2017 remains one of the very best I’ve ever seen there, an exciting new talent, playing to an excitable crowd, it was precisely why I go and watch live music. 18 months later Dave’s star has risen in exactly the way I expected it to; number one single, number one album, but more than that he has continued to show his intelligence and eloquence in interviews, and in his music. Recent single Black was an articulate expression of what it means to be black in Britain in 2019, and on 11-minute-long album track Lesley, a tale about a woman in an abusive relationship, he pushes the genre of grime onto a whole different level.

I must admit when I realised that Slowthai was only supporting Dave on the first four dates of this tour, and we would be getting Jaykae in Norwich, I felt disappointed. No disrespect to Jaykae, it’s just I really wanted to see Slowthai again. I shouldn’t have worried though, because Jaykae pretty much smashed his support set. Hailing from Brum, along with MIST & 23 Drillas he is at the forefront of that city’s music scene, and he very soon had the entire dancefloor bouncing. The bass was humungous, his raps were indistinct, but lightning fast, and musically we got the lot, ranging from drill to full on drum ‘n’ bass. He didn’t have a spotlight on him, so didn’t especially shine on stage, but being a part of the crowd when he played his biggest songs like Bally and Moscow was a huge buzz.

By the time Dave came on the floor was as full as I’ve ever known it. It was uncomfortable and hot, and I loved it. A huge skull sat on the stage, all part of the theme of his Psychodrama album, with a massive screen behind, so the show was a treat for the eyes as well as the ears. I have to keep reminding myself that Dave is still just 20 years old, yet the confidence he has on stage is remarkable. Personable, charismatic and confident, he comes across like an artist years older, and has still retained the humbleness that so endeared him to me at the Waterfront. Beginning with the opening two tracks off the album, Psycho & Streatham, before teasing the intro of 100M’s and hitting us with his verse off the Headie One collab 18HUNNA, he showed in the space of just a handful of tracks just why he has become so popular, as comfortable with deeper songs as he is with party bangers. New album tracks like Screwface Capital sat nicely alongside his biggest hits such as Samantha (big cheer for a newly free J Hus) and Thiago Silva, during which, as has become tradition, a member of the crowd got up and rapped AJ Tracey’s lines. Can’t remember the guy’s name, but he nailed it and bigged up Dave, getting a huge round of applause for his efforts.

There were a few negatives – the sound wasn’t as crisp as I wanted it to be, meaning some of Dave’s lyrics got a bit lost at times, and when the set ended after an hour, it did so rather abruptly, and I think we would have all loved a few more tracks by way of an encore. Leave them wanting more and all that though I suppose. I’ve seen so many of these types of events over the last three years and they continue to amaze me. The positivity, the inclusiveness, the excitement, the sheer fun and joyous vibe of it all made for yet another memorable night with a young British artist. Dave said Norwich is one of his favourite cities and he looks forward to coming back. Sadly, I’m not sure we’ll see him here again for a very long time, we simply don’t have a venue big enough to hold him. Two years ago, Stormzy played the LCR and this year he is headlining Glastonbury, expect a similar career trajectory for Santan Dave.