“The train now departing is the play dirty service taking the long way home. Calling at Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, London and Nottingham”. Having sold out in August, it is needless to say that this show was highly anticipated. Krept and Konan not only delivered on this hype, they exceeded it.
The set up for this show was different to the usual Rescue Rooms gig, a lack of equipment to set up meant that the four support acts could come and go without breaks in between. This kept an already lively crowd on their toes. Rescue Rooms may have only been half full for Cadet’s performance, but the atmosphere certainly made up for it.
“There were no slip ups, no forgotten words, this was as smooth as the record, but with an incredible live passion”
Many missed the first few support acts, but Docta Cosmic kept the partygoers dancing as each MC came and went. The show felt more like a club night rather than your standard gig, until Yungen arrived, but this kept everyone moving and jumping. This was vastly more comfortable than most gigs, where the support band(s) are treated with stillness and calm applause.
Yungen walked out to a growing crowd with an explosive ovation. From the moment the first line dropped, Yungen was in complete control of the whole venue. Storming through tunes like ‘Ain’t on Nuttin’ and ‘Go Down South’, Yungen had no problem flowing through an endless stream of impressive vocals. Dropping a new track as well, on any other night Yungen could have comfortably headlined this show, but tonight was all about Krept and Konan.
The black cloths were dropped and the stage revealed itself to be a recreation of a London tube carriage. The set was impressive, especially when combined with the recorded train announcements successfully integrated into the show. The second it was announced ‘This stop is Nottingham’ and the sample dropped, the entirety of rescue rooms screamed the words “I don’t even know what I did last night”. Krept and Konan dived out of the train, awestruck at what they were presented with. Determined to make this final night of the tour special, Krept and Konan brought their A-game, spitting rhymes without missing a beat.
There were no slip ups, no forgotten words, this was as smooth as the record, but with an incredible live passion that made even the most vulgar lyrics easily digestible. Not afraid to slow things down, the MCs played an impassioned ‘My Story’, and followed it up with ‘Fell Apart’ and ‘I Don’t Know’. Bringing the energy back to the set, ‘Don’t Waste my Time’ and ‘Do it for the Gang’ saw the venue erupt into a bigger mosh pit than is seen at most metal gigs. There were approximately 12 people not moshing at this point, and that was only because they were up on the balcony.
“This was one of the most electrifying live shows that Nottingham has been treated to for some time”
This show was about Krept and Konan’s crazy success, but that doesn’t mean the crowd weren’t going to scream as the lights showed a silhouette stood in the train, wearing a Dench Tee. Lethal Bizzle joined the show for an exclusive performance of ‘Fester Skank’. This energy followed through into ‘Freak of the Week’ and everyone walked off stage leaving the crowd wanting much, much more. Hence the joy as the Rescue Rooms crowd were treated to an impressive encore.
The show closed with ‘F.W.T.S’, or rather it didn’t. With Krept saying that they couldn’t let it be the end of the tour yet, both men and Docta Cosmic dived into the crowd as they stormed through ‘F.W.T.S’ again while crowdsurfing, having the stage taken over by everyone else from the tour. This was one of the most electrifying live shows that Nottingham has been treated to for some time.
Liam Fleming
