LDN's Plan B in Sydney Basement

With much anticipation possibly too many beers were consumed in the lead up to rapper Plan B out of Forest Gate, LDN taking the stage at Sydney's Basement – a venue not very wallet-friendly. We were truly primed for Mr Ben Drew (as his passport reads) while Aussie MC Anecdote warmed the crowd. While tight in an Eminem way Anecdote lost points for poaching that "Damon Wayans, Major Payne" Biggie line right at the end and not acknowledging it – bad form. Before he took the stage someone spotted the young scamp spewing in the bathroom and siting nerves. I'm surprised he didn't rap something about "vomit already, mom's spaghetti" like Eminem's Rabbit. But kudos nonetheless cos TNT couldn't get up on stage.

Plan B, however showed nerves of steal. With his acoustic guitar he opened with the favourite "Kidz" and made it clear for those who may not know his material, Plan B is about no messing, he's gritty and intense. After moving to the very RnB "Charmaine", getting his Timberlake-melodies on, the intensity built. His guitar strings weren't so much strummed as beaten through a couple more tracks. But there is only so much intensity one can capture with a guitar, even with his spitfire lyrics.

So DJ Benny came out and from there took it to the next level. A clangy metal hip-hop beat and Prodigy sample made "No Good" a singalong. By the end of the night it was a massive Rage Against The Machine/Drum n Bass party in the Basement, the low ceiling well and truly raised. With no more songs in his repertoire, and his encore complete the small crowd wanted more. A cover was PLan B's plan B. Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones" had the crowd bouncing and rather than ripping off the line to be his own like Anecdote, let it be known where his roots lie, to quote Mobb Deep themselves "He ain't a crook son, He's just a shook one."

TNT left drunk and merry to have seen yet another London MC (Jamie T a couple of weeks back) in a small venue, as opposed to with a bigger crowd back in the UK.

Music, Travel and Stuff

I'm surprised that such a title had not been taken. I'm way behind in the world of blogs. But between Music, Travel and Stuff I've covered about the three best things ever.

Music – I review music that's good, sometimes that's bad. I do this for TNT Magazine, weekly for the Australian one, but also monthly for UK mag. I also write about Art and music for Empty magazine and have been known to get my by-line in Rolling Stone Australia occasionally (and while I'm at it... Bono I don't care for your opinion).

Travel - Working for TNT Magazine (Australia's #1 independent travel magazine) I've been privileged to have travelled plenty of Australia and New Zealand, so you might find the odd rambing here about travel too... infact it's a given. I am the web-editor for www.tntdownunder.com, I'm like Tom, just with less friends and spamming complaints.

The "stuff" covers stuff like The Simpsons, sweet bikes, celebrity jeenyus-ness and general fuckery.

Blogs are kinda like Show n Tell, "Any Questions or comments?"

Right.
Onwards with Music, Travel and Stuff then... wish me lick... I mean luck... shitballs.