Walking into the Tivoli it was blindingly evident just what a cross section of fans Aussie Hip-Hop is attracting these days. This show had been sold out for weeks and it was being attended by a mixture of hoodie wearers, indie-rockers, teeny-boppers plus some mummers and poppers!

Diafrix swaggered on stage, DJ Ptero Stylus sporting an Aussie soccer tracksuit. The thick, deep bass bumped and two American-sounding MC’s lumbered into a couple of monotone opening tracks begging for some audience participation. Let’s Go added the energy the early tracks needed. Very – œAmerican street rap’, the kind you’d expect to hear rattling the panels of a slow rolling black Impala straight outta Compton. MC Momo changed that vibe completely with a gritty, powerful and soulful vocal section on Time Will Tell, the boy could sing! Followed by E.S.L. and Concrete Jungle, Diafrix had definitely been saving their best for last. There was melody, soul and funk… and still the fat, torso rumbling beats they’d started with. The night had kicked off well.

As the familiar lanky, surfer frame of Pez appeared on stage, there was a collective chest-puff of Australian pride. Accompanied by DJ Matik and 360 the Australian-isms started thick and fast and the crowd was actually starting to sound like it was capacity. Looking honestly blown away by the response, Pez launched straight into Aint Got Time as his second track. You could say it was accepted pretty well. Back and forth, criss-crossing Pez and 360 covered the stage through constant movement. Telling the girls in the front row how sexy they were, swearing and exclaiming under their breath, This Sound kicked it. Shine then backed things off a little. Luckily, because at this rate, the punters weren’t going to have vocal chords by the time the headliners hit the platform. The chill was short lived though, as punters were required to help with the chorus of I Wanna Go Back. Then we were introduced to gorgeous guest vocalist Hailey Cramer. But before the inevitable crowd favorite was played, the new band member was invited to let loose. Matik dropped a well known tune and Ms Crammer, supported by a few thousand, swooned into a stunningly executed Killing Me Softly, with Pez and 360 adding the Fugees style – œone time’ to the chorus. Seamlessly medlied into Everyday People by Arrested Development. Without further ado, a lovely piano intro was spun and the country’s seventh favorite tune of last year, The Festival Song, was underway. The energy seemed to visibly swell as choruses and key verses were left to the audience who gladly accepted the challenge. Closing a brilliant set, These Days was the perfect song to show off the silky tones of Hailey, the silky turns of Matik and the super silk tongues of 360 and the man of the moment, Pez.

When the stage was re-lit, the monumental mural on the back wall was imposing to say the least. Well recognisable was the rainbow winged, hooded-leaper from the cover of Bliss N Eso’s Aria award winning album Flying Colours. But before you had time to study it too much, a giant screen was lowered and we were informed of a movement that is taking over the underground. News reports, CCTV surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts of mysterious letters that are slowly appearing everywhere. – œThe letters BNE are popping up everywhere… But what does it mean!?’ Boom! As the screen was engulfed in flames, MC’s Bliss and Eso explode onto the stage to sounds being cranked by DJ Izm. Opening with a song that I would have assumed to be a closer, Woodstock 2008 shook the walls. I hope they knew what they were doing; the noise coming from the Tivoli crowd was unbelievable. Don’t worry, they did. There was no calming down. Who needs a zulu choir when you’ve got a Brisbane one, and that’s exactly what they had when Bullet And A Target answered everyone’s next song request. Taking us back to some early BNE, up jumped Up Jumped The Boogie, then the Sydney trio found out who put the atic in fans, because despite it getting – œhot as a mother fucker’, it only took a few beats of Happy In My Hoody, and a solid percentage of the crowd were sporting the traditional hip-hop attire. Turning The Tiv into a kiln, the mass of human putty was getting softer and softer. Dividing the theatre in half down the middle, Bliss took the left and started the patented – œThere’s a party over here. Fuck you over there!’ to which thousands returned the same, while Eso’s side weren’t quite as loud (Oh hang on, yes they were. Which side was I on again?). Eye Of The Storm was an obvious crowd favorite, but then anything that spilled from their mouths seemed to be. Again taking a nostalgic turn, they asked – œEvery mother fucker in the room to jump during this one’, Blazin’. Now, the Tivoli is a well looked after, historical venue, but I think they’ll be needing the surveyors in – œcause that balcony was buckling! After a quick, fake goodbye they returned to bash out their new single On Tour followed by a thought provoking video and the equally karmically aware The Sea Is Rising. Bliss N Eso have been clearly refusing to rest until they are undoubtedly the premier live music act in the country… I’m pretty sure they’ll looking for a sun lounger by the pool after this tour, – œcause they’re pretty fucking close!