Ultramagnetic MC's // Norwich Arts Centre - 08.07.2013

Packed out on a sultry night with hip hop heads (as usual, mostly white males in their 30's and 40's), the Arts Centre is buzzing. Actual Kool Keith aka Dr Doom, aka Dr Octagon, in Norwich, with his 80's group Ultramagnetic MC's is in the actual house? We can barely believe our luck. Notorious from the very start of his career, he is a mysterious and talented performer alright. The evening begins with local support act Crome & Illinspired, including one member of ye olde Norwich hip hop crew Deftex and Plus One, notable Norwich DJ on the decks. They're good, although I can't make out a word they rap, which I always feel is a shame when you've written clever things. They're confident though, and full of enthusiasm, and win the crowd round quickly. Between the rather long period between the support and main act, we are treated to classic hip hop tracks by Plus One, which the crowd clearly lap up. Norwich sure still likes it's hip hop, I'm happy to see. A couple of members of the Ultramagnetics finally appear onstage, and whoop the crowd up to a frenzy of excitement. Cleverly, they are very aware that for the most part we want to see Kool Keith, so they delay his appearance until 2 or 3 tracks in. Finally he appears, rather overdressed in a hat, shades and a hoody, and a hella lot of gold bling, inlcuding a rather glorious gem encrusted denim shirt. They run straight into most of the tracks from their seminal and influencial album Critical Beatdown, originally released way back in 1988 but still so beloved today. Halfway through the set, I catch the delicate string strains from Kool Keith's popular alter ego Dr Octagon's most famous track Blue Flowers wafting from the stage, as do most of the crowd, and we are very happy. This is a very fine track. And to see it being performed live is something I never thought I would see. The best response all night is for this track, which makes me feel a bit sorry for the rest if the Ultramagnetics, but there we go. The rest of the time the crowd is perfectly happy bobbing along to the great tracks, but there's not much excitement in the crowd overall. We're all waiting for the most well known track from the album, Give the Drummer Some, but it never gets played; the claim is that they are running too late. Nonetheless, Kool Keith is kind enough to meet and greet fans and sign some of their shiz, so I can't complain too much. Overall, another great night of hip hop at Norwich Arts Centre, who are truly the best at getting the best.