Rudimental are without doubt the band of the moment. Their melodic, soul-infected drum and bass has yielded them smash single after smash single. One chart at a time, the Hackney band has taken over the world. Everybody has heard of Rudimental judging from their turn out at the Enmore Theatre which was quite literally all ages.
The challenge though for a band that explodes in such a way, and the question on the minds Australian of music fans, is whether they can transcend the hype and be more than a few smash singles and a lot of exhaust fumes by the time they reach down under. If Wednesday night is a fair judge, and I’m going to say it is, the answer to that is a yes.
British DJ duo Gorgon City opened the night with singer-songwriter Yasmin, lead vocalist on their newest single “Real” (which we used to be). The duo’s music, while being inoffensive seemed to be for the large part uninspiring to the building crowd. The duo’s music fray’s very far into Disclosure’s territory of nimble UK garage and house music with a pop bent, without offering too much to sit up and take notice. When Yasmin was welcomed on stage there was a noticeable lift in the level of crowd’s enthusiasm, the singer brought energy and charisma to their set, which perhaps struggled, under the enormous weight of supporting the headliners.
Rudimental bounded out onto the stage with a carnal introductory jam showcasing the heavy beats that carried the band into recent hit “Right Here”, whipping the crowd into a frenzy. The collective’s set, which ran right through their debut album Home was diverse, yet cohesive filling the space between drum and bass driven bangers with laid back soulful numbers that leant rather than leaped away from their collective strengths and showed off their array of talented touring singers.
Each of the three they brought out with them, Anne Marie, Sinead Hartnett and Thomas Michael Jules were talented, charismatic and engaging as they rotated between lead and backing roles.
The band’s next single “Free” cast chilled, heartfelt vibes over the room. The crowd was happy to answer the call to put their friends on their shoulders, adding a neat visual aspect to the show. In addition to a trumpet solo interlude the band smashed out all their bangers which went as well as expected as well as a cover of Paramore’s “Now” in the interlude.
The extended funk bridge of “Hell Could Freeze” made it one of the highlights of the set, as well as the energetic “Waiting All Night”. “Giving In” however was probably the biggest song of the night, the anticipation in the room threatened to bring it down as it built to the drum and bass anthem that has become the bands signature.
The quintet that composes of the core band members were youth workers in their former life, and their passion for giving enjoyment to their young fans provided for a memorable and defining moment of the gig.
A young boy, perched atop his mother’s shoulders for most of the gig, was given a once in a lifetime opportunity when DJ Locksmith, the band’s on stage leader invited the child on stage for the performance of their smash John Newman collab “Feel the Love”. Dancing, jumping around with band members, getting hoisted on shoulders, even getting a demo in playing the trumpet, the boy was made an insta-celebrity at the Enmore Theatre.
After the show he could be found posing for photos with punters – a star was born.
