Krept & Konan
At the time of writing Krept & Konan have two ‘mixtapes’ in the top 10 of the UK album chart. Sandwiched between Ed Sheeran and Robert Plant nestles this grime duo, who are playing the Waterfront Studio to a sold out crowd of just 250 people. Tickets for this show were only £7. The whole thing feels slightly surreal, they could have easily filled our biggest venue with full priced tickets, but they said that this was a pop up show to thank fans for the success of their new releases, so who am I to argue with that.
With no live act as support instead we get a DJ playing some of the biggest of the current crop of tunes; Giggs, Drake, Mostack, J Hus and the ubiquitous Big Shaq, and as is the norm the crowd know every word. The audience is mostly male, but despite the much more visible security presence, everyone is here to have a good time. Krept & Konan arrive on stage roughly 30 minutes after their advertised stage time (just as it should be) and immediately the ‘energy crew’ spring into action. I continue to be amazed at the vibe at grime gigs. I have never seen anything like it, it is exhilarating to be part of, it makes most other gigs I go to seem so tame in comparison. Both Krept & Konan were expert rappers, moving from lightning fast to a slower flow on the more R&B influenced songs. The sound was underpinned by thunderous bass and the duo seemed genuinely impressed with the noise such a relatively small crowd could make.
The nature of the event makes reviewing it in the cold light of day quite difficult. It’s all about the energy of the moment, it’s not about what they’re saying lyrically, or what they stand for, it’s about creating a party atmosphere regardless of venue or night of the week. It’s the ultimate escape and I absolutely loved every second of it. Stumbling downstairs afterwards to find Super Hans in full flow on the decks just meant the night ended a bit later and a bit messier than planned – excellent work Waterfront.
Every grime show I’ve been to this year has been amazing, every single one sold out, every one buzzing with an energy that I’m not sure I’ve ever seen at live music events even from my own youth. I wish I could go to one every week of the year, but for now I’ll console myself with the thought that I’ve just witnessed a duo who are currently massive playing to a crowd of only 250 people, something that I doubt they will ever do again.
