Live Review: Hilltop Hoods
The Show Business Tour, 17 September 2022 at the RAC Arena, Perth
Review by Sheldon Ang
Photos by Sheldon Ang Photography
A hall of flames spit into the air, searing the atmosphere already saturated with euphoria and old school hysteria. The duo propel across the stage through the mechanics of hopping, spinning, running and jumping, displaying the overwhelming bravado of teenage idols to a sea of air pumpers and worshippers. Criss crossing each other like a pair of F14’s in a dog fight, they manoeuvre to the edge with the oomph of a fly on an Aussie summer evening, ensuring fans embracing their share of HTH dose. For a moment, they remain within a single frame, synchronising their trampoline addiction with a spate of spewing confetti and mega ribbons, followed by a whoosh of carbon dioxide expulsion. As one regains his energy, he skips to the end of the runway, staring at the nosebleed section of the upper reaches across a sea of people, gazing in wonderment under the spotlight; Perth, you are the best looking crowd.
The legendary Aussie duo MC Suffa (Matthew Lambert) and MC Pressure (Daniel Smith) curated Hilltop Hoods in the backyard of Adelaide in the mid-90s, pioneering the larrikin style of Australian hip hop and rap. Since then, all but two of their eight albums have sat on pole position on the ARIA charts, making them the most successful Australian artist or band in that sense. Think about it; not ACDC, not Delta, not Farnham, Chisel or Keith Urban – but two larrikins in the category of RnB and Rap – or some undefined genre. They’ve also been voted into Triple J Hottest 100 more than any other artist. Over 20 times.
Those critical and commercial success reflected and resonated onto the stage, with a display of turbocharged energy and exuberance from the start of the setlist that sparked with Leave Me Alone and Chase That Feeling, followed by smash hits The Nosebleed Section (which “everyone would have heard”) and1955.
Has anyone been to a Hilltop Hood concert? Even if you haven’t heard of us, you would have heard of this song.
Think of the moment when Eminem ripped the Detroit club with Lose Yourself in 8 Mile, religiously hypnotising the crowd into punching the air…now multiply that by several hundred in a backdrop of 15,000 fans under the roof of the RAC Arena. The fact is, Hilltop Hoods got everyone involved with their performances – and that was how it felt throughout; fans were part of the festival, involved in the journey of progression, protestation, politics, human rights and hope. The on stage conviction was creatively sublime, palpable, yet without oozing the stuck up resonance and egotistical stance that are prevalent in some artists of this category.
The stage set up was clean yet decorative. DJ Debris (Barry Francis) – who is also part of the Hilltop Hoods outfit – stood high on stage in the middle, flanked by runways on both sides, and supported by a drummer and a 3-brass section in trumpet, trombone and saxophone. And resting on the stage imperiously was the giant Hilltop Hoods trademarked insignia, staring with a reverent disposition, like a religious momento or a Transformer character, depending on your state of mind at that time.
The night retired with two songs in the encore, Rattling the Keys to the Kingdom and Cosby Sweater, which brought opening acts A.B. Original, Elsy Wameyo and DJ Total Eclipse back onto the stage, joining Hilltop Hoods in the final song.
In any other festivals, A.B. Original would have been the featured act. They were indeed the super sub or the super opener, revving the crowd with the likes of 2 Black 2 Strong, Dead In A Minute and January 26 – and even invited Kav Temperley – lead vocalist of Eskimoe Joe, to the stage! Elsy Wameyo is a future star, delivering an abundance of zest and spirit with the vibe of US rapper Eve on some occasions.
But the night was about Hilltop Hoods. MC Pressure and MC Suffa are in their mid-40s, but both expelled the synergies of 400m sprinters throughout the 90 minutes in front of a demographically eclectic audience – spanning across the age spectrum, from pre teens to the far more experienced who have seen the evolution of rap and RnB since the days of the east and west coast wars. Despite they were sprinting in a marathon, both vocalists were on point in their vocals and performances that personify conviction, rage, glory, sincerity and the jena se qua of an ardent story teller.
It was two weeks ago that this writer/photographer covered KISS at the RAC Arena. The septuagenarians have been recruiting younger fans into the KISSArmy thanks to the absolute bangers in their performances. Hilltop Hoods draw a similar formula; entertainers beyond the vocal delivery and good music aspects. There’s no doubt the men from Adelaide will continue to grace the arenas and stadiums across Australia and abroad for another generation.
Tickets to the remaining show in hometown Adelaide are available through Hilltop Hoods
SAM would like to thank Mad Dog Publicity, TEG Live and Hilltop Hoods for the Press Accreditation, and also to the staff at the RAC Arena.
About the Writer: Sheldon Ang is the founder, photographer and writer of SAM. Since its launch in May 2022, he has photographed and reviewed most of the arena and stadium concerts in Perth, including KISS, The Kid Laroi, Gang of Youths, Louis Tomlinson (One Direction), Guy Sebastian, Glass Animals and Amy Shark. He was also the Chief Photographer and Principal Journalist for a magazine which has been removed from cyber space by its owner.
