Four straight hours of hip-hop certainly brings with it a level of fun and energy that can only be attained through amazing artists, an excited and unruly crowd, and a venue like the UC Refectory. The night of the 360 gig, as part of his Australia-wide Utopia tour, boasted a high calibre lineup of five varied hip-hop acts, local and international.
First up, UK’s Lunar C had the difficult job of providing the first music of the night to a small but receptive audience.
Sydney-based Miracle came on next with a gust of energy and got the crowd moving with his exhortation to ‘bounce’. His song Endless Summer delivered a sentiment appreciated by all on a cold Canberra night.
There was a lot of excitement for Melbourne-based Pez, who took to the stage after a high energy intro from his DJ. He was joined by the soulful, sassy Hailey Cramer who added an interesting element to his songs. The Festival Song was the obvious highlight, invoking the impending summer season.
With each act, the energy level increased. Hopsin (US) continued the trend, as he glared out at the crowd through his signature white contact lenses. He succeeded in getting the audience participating, with everyone singing along even if they didn’t know the lyrics. At one point, he leapt out into the crowd and surfed/walked his way around, thrusting his hips and dancing while the audience kept him aloft. Hopsin also invited three audience members to rap alongside him onstage. This could have ended badly for Australia’s international relations, but thankfully they all did a great job and he seemed pleased.
During the course of the night, 360 occasionally paced back and forth along the top floor of UC Refectory, teasing the audience and eliciting excited squeals from fans. This excitement carried through, with the audience erupting when he emerged onstage with his first song Still Rap.
360 made the most of the live performance situation, engaging with the audience so that individuals felt involved, at the same time creating a very fun stage presence.
Lunar C, Miracle and Pez all joined 360 on stage at various points during his set to perform their respective songs they had collaborated on with him. It was expected, and it was a nice touch.
Spiral Down showcased 360’s surprisingly good singing voice. It was refreshing to hear such quality singing from a hip-hop artist, and the song was an appreciated addition to the set-list.
Gossling’s contribution, both in looks and vocal style, was a wonderful addition to the performance, as she provided vocals for Boys Like You and Price of Fame. The contrast and chemistry between the rapper 360 and the comparatively folky Gossling was particularly special, and added a lot to the show. Boys like you was a highlight of the night, with audience members enjoying pointing their fingers at bad boy 360 as per the song lyrics, as well as some beautiful harmonies provided by 360 himself.
What a night it was; this should all happen more often.
Photos by Brianna Williams
