Good look for grime. Everybody behaved. Watch the video below, and then read my analysis of the evening.




Opening up, was Manny Norte and Shorty Blitz. This clueless booking bothered me, blazing rnb and hip hop at the greatest grime show ever? Do you think at Why Not Rinse.FMs Dubstep festival earlier in the year they had rnb and hip hop openers to warm up the crowd? I think not. Spyro was in the building could of had him doing the warm up set, then a PA - Chipmunk perhaps, he was there as well. Not exactly rocket science. Instead we were treated to old Joe Budden, T Pain and two people shouting UK music over some of the worst American music I have ever heard.

On came the break dancers. One of three appearances of the night. They could of at least prepared some sort of routine to grime, you know sticking with the theme of night. They didn't. It weren't even girls man, like who wants to see males do that to themselves.

The Thirst. Yea they are some band i've never heard of, and not grime, so I thought that would be an opportunity to sink the first of four pints.

Logans Set. In the right environment, he would of murked. But Kano fans, aren't all grime fans. It was kind of heart breaking to see people not reacting to some of the best grime tunes ever made. It was a par with Manny Norte and co hosting the set turning it into some playground MC'ing competition. The way Logan cut off the girl when she was spitting was class. The set needed a host, like in a Crazy D sort of role you know "Who knows about this one" "Logan wheeeel that selector type thing. Not two hip hop and rnb lovers shouting out all their friends on Kiss. Air. Big up Logan though sick set otherwise. Rarely are we treated to stageshow riddim in 02 arenas.

Tinchy Stryder was big. Proffessional, worked the crowd well. Having the teenage girl friendly tunes helped him a lot. Something about your smile and Stryderman went down well. Catered nicely for the man them as well entering to Mainstream Money and Not Like Me.

Kano's intro was epic, came out like a star. All of the performances where flawless. The only reason I didn't enjoy some of it, is because I think some of the tunes are so awful. He even performed the poor tunes from London Town.

Highlights of the night though were the cameos from Ghetto, Wiley & Skepta. They all came out two a big reception. Ghetto's performance was sick. I think Ghetto needs to tour with a punk band like Lethal did, they would love him. He fell of the stage, he did all these weird dances as well (I go do grime and dubstep raves, I haven't seen somebody dance for real since like 2003). The major disapointment of the night was having the scenes best MC's on stage and no sqeeze of session. They parred it really with the electro medley, because individually they could of all done tunes that would of seriously tore the place down.

It was historic. Like it or not. Hopefully it will be the first of many.

My final word on this.

Kano is a star, imitating a legend.


7 comments:

  1. Anonymous 2 October 2008 at 00:01

    I was there too ;) felt like witnessing one of the history there with 4 on the stage, but i was too tired they dragged it for so long!

     
  2. Ghett0 3 October 2008 at 00:21

    looks like u were standin on the other side to me, apart from wehn i filmed the ghetto bit, i was gettin my rucksack back from the cloak room

    hope you dont me nabbing your video for wmorefresher gave u your props in the blog

     
  3. Unknown 3 October 2008 at 14:05

    Emmm just a slight correction for you there...the event was not just about a Grime event it was actually a promotion also for Adidas to promote the Olympics as they are sponsoring it. I thought the event was well planned and entertaining and had a series of different talents. As for the dancers I thought they were extremely talented!! So I kinda find ya article a lil bit negative, not really clear, contradicting and well I don't think you knew what the whole event was about! YES it was mainly focussed on Kano's Album Launch but it was also an association with Adizones/Olympics hence the reason the screens at the back on stage had visuals of basketball players, boxing, street dancing etc etc. Not your fault I guess but it shows you didn't have inside knowledge what it was about!

     
  4. Elijah 3 October 2008 at 19:03

    Ok, calling something the greatest grime show ever.. means the best grime blog will talk about the grime stuff from it. I'm not going to big up Adidas or the Olympics am I. Nobody cares about that.

    I know adidas where sponsoring it, im not an idiot. You don't know me from anywhere so to come on here saying I don't know how this was put together is silly. Think before you speak child.

    I thought the dancers where good as well. But at "the greatest grime show ever" just like shorty blitz and manny norte I think it was out of place. They could of at least took time and done a routine to grime, or other elements of the great uk music we have, instead of corny hip hop like all other break dancers do all over the world. I would of thought that would of made them unique.

    What is negative about the article? "It was historic" "Lets hope they do it again" doesn't sound negative to me.

    Don't tell me after I put 18 mins of footage up for everyone that the blog wasn't clear.

    Next time think before you comment. Next time read, enjoy and move on.

    If you would like to try and patronize me a bit more please email me Elijah@grimeforum.com

    Thanks

     
  5. LC 4 October 2008 at 00:37

    I can't believe that the words "Joe Budden" are on the best grime blog EVER!

    I was gonna go to this...i'm kind of glad I didn't. firstly because i'm so not into the Kano Album and secondly...too much hype which i'm not into.

    Anyway on another note, Elijah is the fountain of grime knowledge so pleeeeaaaaase don't try test him.
    :)

     
  6. Anonymous 4 October 2008 at 09:56

    WOWWW I HIT A NERVE DIDN'T I??? It's cool, I don't need to really email you in private to discuss this coz it's a blog and Im responding to your post with my opinion. Look I'm just a passionate person about talent and I thought all the acts was a blessing to watch!! And I stand by what I say, which is ya first post was a lil negative! Take it how you wanna take it Elijah!! The first half for me was great as SUPPORTING Acts and the second half was a great grime event!! To say the dancers wasn't even "female" is a little poor to me...sorry? I'd prefer to give huge BIG UPS to the people who are challenging their energy in to THEIR creative talents instead of downgrading. But hey like I said it's a blog and everyones entitled to their opinion. Peace.

     
  7. Anonymous 5 October 2008 at 20:53

    I added your video to my blog too, thanks for the nice video!