Pete Rock & CL Smooth

by Lizz 4 September 2016

Tonight’s sold out show to celebrate the 25 anniversary of US hip hop legends Pete Rock and CL Smooth has been put together by Norwich sneaker shop Main Source. We warm up after doors open at 8 with DJ Plus One treating us to some classic hip hop bangers but as it’s a warm evening most folk are out in the garden.

By 10:20, we’re still getting shuffly to the DJ, but there’s no sign of the first live act of the night, Galaxy High from London who was meant to be on at 10. There are allegedly sound problems. Illinspired, from out of Chrome and Illinspired is pretty much the hero of the evening, MC’ing and keeping the crowd hyped for what seems like hours as we wait around for something to happen. Sigh. Why are hip hop gigs always like this? At 10.30. Galaxy High turns up onstage and raps for about 15 minutes – despite some energetic crowd-hyping there’s not much reaction from the audience..we’ve been waiting for two and a half hours now and have almost forgotten why we’re here - there are mutterings of “school night”. Chrome and Illinspired do a short set and prove that they’re always reliable and always really good, with some mad spitting skills and a couple verses from Buckers from Music Lessons. Back to the DJ for another 15 mins, and it’s telling that people are more excited to hear Biggie, Pharoahe Monch, Busta Rhymes, Gangstarr, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and the Wu Tang Clan played really loud than they were about Galaxy High.

At 11 Pete Rock and CL Smooth finally arrive onstage to a sweet medley of Here I Am (come and take me), Stayin’ Alive and Lovely Day. Pete’s using Serrato, and does a great and solid job on the one’s and two’s although I would have appreciated a little more show scratching and high jinks. CL Smooth is a serious, beary beefcake, and takes the stage by storm. My god, he’s a smooth motherfucker on the mic. Totally flawless. He also seems to still mean what he’s rapping about even though some of these tracks are older than some members of the audience. The soul groove of their unique music gives this performance some real welly, and it finally becomes something special. Alongside the sweet syncopation and the fact that it’s good and loud, it all marries together into pure classic hip hop.

Soul Brother #1. The Creator. I Got A Love. One In A Million. They all still sound incredibly strong. Basically, though, we know and they know we're all waiting for They Reminisce Over You, their bet known and most loved track, and of course they leave it til last, teasing us. And of course, they slay us with it, the place goes mental and at midnight, the show’s over. We witnessed some iconic and legendary (in their own words!) artists here tonight, but the usual fannying around and endless waiting at hip hop gigs was an annoying element to a great night.