The first thing is, I don't really want to write this review. Because if I give any preconceptions about Le Sac and Pip; any impression, be it favourable or no; of what they are and what they mean, that might possibly prevent you from making those travel arrangements and blowing that small amount of money in order to see them perform; then I would be liable to be hung, drawn and quartered by the Righteous Police.
Second thing is, you should know that Scroobius Pip would make a great dictator. He's charming, passionate, convincing, outspoken, witty and furious, and he has a great beard. You like him, want to do his bidding almost immediately, and you get the overwhelming feeling that he's right about everything. Take notes, Brown; I'm voting Pip for PM.
The third thing is, Dan le Sac v. Scroobius Pip are maybe the best group in London, irrespective of genre, and I demand that they are heard by everyone; a goal I'm sure they'll approach with the release of their album, 'Angles', on May 18th. But until they're in the UN boardroom, I'm afraid they just won't be heard enough for my liking.
They start out strong with a lush use of the Antiques Roadshow theme tune – so far, so quaint. But this isn't a two-bit je m'amuse act, they don't mess about. The second piece is about self-harm and is just SO dark, rational and personal. The whole spectrum from jocular to jagged has been run in the opening two songs, and no, they don't let up.
Their image stops being of any importance. This is a duo who are, in the words of Scroob, "treading the tightrope between creative and pretentious.” They never trip up; but not because of arid rigidity. Scroobius Pip is a classically talented MC. His lyrics are a candid distilling into the playful poetic form of his personality, which is revealed on stage, in his rapport with the faceless crowd; his willingness, even compulsion, to speak his mind in as few words as possible that are rhythmically architectural, beautiful, utilizing every instance of the vocal medium that he can to broadcast the message with gusto.
He takes us through the gamut of emotions; from fear, paranoia, discontentment, jealousy, frustration, love, compassion (in a moving, off-kilter piece inspired by Slava Polunin's performance art), anger, a modern kind of greed; utilizing stage props, video cameras, puppetry, and a holy lectern for the fiery prophetic 'Thou Shalt Always Kill'. During this song, they have the entirety of this über-hip in-crowd demolishing the hallowed canon of rock n roll and indie bands (The Sex Pistols, The Smiths etc) utilizing the refrain "just a band" to whip the crowd into extremist iconoclastic fervour. I felt like we all learned something about our culture on a level that no one was willing to accept before these two giants spake it thus.
Dan le Sac's incredible beats are so versatile, although at first you might place him as just another chubby white guy with a British sense of humour and a laptop. But when a radical re-cut of that Dizzee tune crackles out underpinning the mutated refrain "Hip Hop is Arse"; or when he gearshifts from basic breakbeat to astronomically fuzzed-up rave, and every frantic level in between, always keeping the sounds lithe, somehow fresh despite their generic danceability – you place him as an originator with real innovative skill.
The whole experience left me dazed; it left me musically and ideologically impressed upon in a way that no band has impressed me before. I stumbled into the street shrieking praise, cursing all my wasted time. Do anything you can to get them in your life. Oh, but as they themselves would no doubt be bellowing by now, remember: they're "just a band". An astonishingly important one.
Click
here to see all London live music.
Click here to see all things to do in London.
Add an event
Frieze Art Fair to launch new section for young galleries in 2012
Frieze have today announced details for the 2012 edition, their tenth art fair in London. Taking place...