Rudimental @ Metro City
w/ Sneaky Sound System
Friday, May 31, 2019
Metro City was filled with a much more mature crowd than usual. A surprisingly casual, dressed down tone that did not seem to coincide with the absence of toilet paper in any cubical or the upstairs bars being closed in spite of the floors being full, resulting in half an hour of struggle to buy a drink.
Thankfully Sneaky Sound System took the stage and helped everyone forget where they were. The area in front of the stage was somewhat empty, leaving ample room to dance.
Miss Connie is an absolute diva and performs like a sexy ethereal goddess, making prolonged eye contact with everyone that feels so intimate you can’t help but look away. The first few songs were lesser known though still enjoyable and allowed space to show off her fierce, powerful vocals and even more hypnotic moves. Halfway through the set she seemed to elevate and she delivered on her better-known hits Pictures, I Love It and Big. The clear crowd favourite was UFO which had absolutely everyone singing at the top of their lungs. After Sneaky Sound System we attempted the bar again but after an impressively long wait we gave up empty handed.
Rudimental burst onto the stage and despite our lack of beverages, we felt all of the good vibes. Technically the foundation of Rudimental consists of four core artists, but they warp the ideology of a band by having a rotating, flexible, ever-changing community of artists. Almost every track they produce is a product of different guesting writers, vocalists and musicians. This could lean to their long term success, as it provides different flavours and energy track to track, while still managing to maintain a continuity of definitive sound. Tonight we were treated to eight talents on stage including the familiar faces of Keli Dryden, Piers Agget and Afronaut Zu. With the addition of a phenomenal drummer, bass player, vocalist Bridgette Amofah and another incredibly talented female singer whose name I am unable to unearth.
Zu delivered spiritual anthems combined with moves that are impossible to replicate, perfectly building up and licking the systematic drops. His voice was brimming with emotion and power. Amofah’s voice was divine soulful exquisiteness, just as impressive as her abs. Together they were mind-blowing – even more awe-inspiring than their vocals was their stage presence and energy. Yet despite the tornado of talent, they didn’t steal the show, no one did and that was the beauty.
The entire stage was transient, constantly moving, roaming musicians taking turns in the limelight, non-stop beaming huge smiles, pouring joy and love into the audience and each other with no ego present. It had the overwhelming joyful vibes of a gospel band. The love of music overflowed into the crowd, everyone singing and dancing and the energy was palpable.
Their latest album release Toast To Our Differences received universally underwhelming reviews but seeing them perform the new hits live it was hard to understand how they could do any wrong. They performed their massive hits, Not Giving In, All Night, These Days, Feel The Love and Free, encoring with Waiting All Night. Yet there was no obvious standout, they were consistently brilliant, perfectly executed and engaging, never skipping a beat.
They gave so much love and heart to the audience, taking time to really engage, touch hands, fist bump, encouraging interaction, giving away their drumsticks. Rudimental are surprisingly wholesome, selling messages of unity, inclusion and love with their commercial drum and bass and overtones of reggae and soul delivered with unmatchable energy. It is safe to say everyone left completely won over, satiated from dancing with warm hearts.
SARA WHITE
Photos by Giselle Natassia
