Brighton’s favourite sons, Jordan “Rizzle” Stephens and Harley “Sylvester” Alexander-Sule, made their home town the last gig of their UK tour, and rightly so.
The excitement that greeted the platinum-selling hip-hop duo when they bounced on stage – there is no better word to describe how they move – was completely understandable.
The cheeky chappies are consummate performers who gave the crowd exactly what they wanted. Lasers, smoke machines, coloured lights and a giant inflatable dinosaur being passed around the crowd upped the thrill-level while the boys delivered their populist brand of swaggering hip-hop and easy reggae.
Whether the 22-year-olds are getting all nostalgic (When I Was A Youngster) or taking a swipe at vacuous modern culture (Lost Generation), the infectious nature of their music is undeniable. There wasn’t a single member of the audience who remained seated during Mama Do The Hump, and by the time the final track, Down With The Trumpets – accompanied by a considerably sized soulful horn section – rolled around, the level of adrenaline was sky high.
Triumphant, eclectic, hedonistic and at times insightful, the dancing, high-diving Kicks have a charismatic quality that should ensure their longevity in the pop world and beyond.
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