Professor Green @ UEA

After waiting over a year for Pro Green’s gig to finally go ahead after two cancellations, the early doors queue was understandably large, made up of fans between 15 and 45; those young rap-loving-baggy-trousered-b-boys and theslightly older in years pop-loving-cardi-wearing-soccer-mums. The queue alone represented Professor Green’s genre range, expanding the rap battle talents that gave him initial celebrity status six years ago to the rap-come-pop style artist that he is today. Once the collective of Norfolk’s varied had made their way inside, a mash-up DJ set was pumped out into the crowd, mixing all the great pop songs and rap songs that you could think of, keeping all the fans happy. An hour or so later, the man everyone had been waiting for finally hit the stage with Lullaby and eruptions of joy! It seemed that the pent up joy some gig goers had felt for over a year was just to much to handle; perhaps the only logical reason for a pit fight which broke out not even ten minutes into the set.  I didn’t see the fight…too busy watching Pro Green myself. But I’m pretty certain it would have developed from some bant-tastic words on which of the two gentlemen love Pro Green more or even, who was having the best time. With competitive joy soon turning to fisty-cuffs, Green himself halted his performance halfway through his third song. “Why are you guys trying to fuck the show up for people!?”soon put a stop to the fight and the pair were seen off with a cheer from the crowd. It was a real shame for them, because things then got really good! I couldn’t say if it was the long build up that fans had had in waiting for the night, the recent release of his new album or the coming together of artist and crowd over what shall always been known as the Pit-Battle Of Love but Pro Green was on form the entire night. He had the look of a man that was loving the stage once more and the crowd were definitely riding that wave with him. Mixing old tracks with new, and giving them all the energy that the crowd deserved, he returned to the stage for an encore and closed the night with Read All About It. Professor Green is officially back! This can-be-an-angel swears a lot, but he’s got a bloody good heart! After being witness to this gig, I believe him when he swears that it wont be another three years before he hits our city again.