Dan Le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip // The Waterfront - 16.03.10
Look up 'cult band' in the dictionary and you will probably find a picture of Dan Le Sac and his mate Scroobius Pip. Despite releasing indie disco favourite 'Thou Shalt Always Kill' and even appearing on Newsnight, very few people would be able to pick them out in a police line up.
Those in the know, showing their love tonight at the Waterfront, are the privileged few. The ones that have cottoned onto the fact that Scroobius can write songs that change your life. Songs not about guns, bitches and hoes, but about Tommy Cooper, self respect and the periodic table. And if it all sounds a little bit too QI, don't fret, it isn't.
Obviously this isn't your typical hip hop gig. Some people in the crowd have ponytails for crying out loud. Despite the importance of the lyrics, it never becomes so wordy that it turns into a sermon. First and foremost Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip are about entertaining, and entertain they do. The beats being thrown around by Dan are big enough to knock someone out and certainly carry the band's ideas, and the crowd, along with them.
Opener 'The Beat My Heart Skipped' and its follower 'Sick Tonight' confirm Pip's idea that "It's all about the beats". Their Prodigy-style lazer sounds have the crowd moving from the get-go. The new album has only been out for a day, but already everyone is singing along to every word, which is more than you can say for Scroobius who has to refer to his lyric book on several tracks, much to the amusement of Le Sac.
The lads are clearly extremely close and the good natured banter between them enlivens proceedings, especially after songs about self harm and the breakdown of relationships "Bloody hell", laughs Scroobius, "that got dark quickly". The set list, dominated as it is by new songs, shows a band who are comfortable with their sound. Their desire to forge ahead musically is such that they throw away 'Thou Shalt Always Kill' before the encore. Clearly Mr Le Sac and Mr Pip have realised that they're much bigger than their biggest song. The rest of the world just needs to catch up.
Lucy Moore
