Bliss N Eso @ The Prince,Melbourne (5/9/08)

Sat 13th Sep, 2008 in Gig Reviews

While Aussie hip-hop has come a long way in the last decade or so – in terms of audience, variety and sophistication – very few acts have managed to bag mainstream success. The stellar trajectory of Oz hip-hop’s star performers The Hilltop Hoods remains the exception, and their success has been anything but overnight, with their first EP released in 1997.

The recent top-ten debut in the ARIA charts for Sydney hip-hop outfit Bliss n’ Eso’s latest album Flying Colours should have inspired a well-earned sense of achievement in its three contributors. Popular recognition has also arrived by way of another ARIA nomination this year as well as a crack at Triple J’s Album of the Year award. It follows then that Bliss n’ Eso have garnered a following both numerous and, judging by the turn out at the Prince last Friday, enthusiastic.

The Sydney trio played a sold-out crowd, and I was taken aback throughout the gig as to how many punters sang along to every song. Singles Bullet and a Target and the excellent cross-over track Woodstock 2008 elicited a particularly favourable response, as did older tracks such as Up Jumped the Boogie. Reminding us they’re not all bluster, Eye of the Storm provided the evening a poignant moment, and DJ Izm’s crafty turntablism was impressive.

While some critics consider Bliss n’ Eso’s reliance on standard hip-hop manoeuvres – call-and-response and so on – as a sort of crutch to carry along their live show, the energy buzzing around the Prince was undeniable and infectious. The audience were most amenable to being a part of all the “hell yeah” and “party over here/f**k you over there” type verbal interaction.

Bliss n’ Eso’s increasing popularity, aside from the strengths of Flying Colours, arguably can be explained by their willingness to embrace sounds from a variety of genres. Their set opened with the crowd singing along to Guns n’ Roses’ Welcome to the Jungle and Grinspoon hit Chemical Heart, an incongruous but memorable intro. Other highlights included insightful mixing of Blueboy’s Remember Me and Cream’s timeless Sunshine of Your Love.

While the sound was a little off throughout the set, with the bass obscuring the higher end of the register at times, it was a lively outing for an outfit that are hitting their stride. A tangible love of music across genres – professed on stage at the Prince – definitely contributes to their increasingly broad appeal, and their ongoing rise.