The Pharcyde have probably seen a lot of things in their time, but even they might have been intrigued by the sights that greeted them as they arrived in Dublin. Giant leprechaun hats and beards, faces painted and a lot of bodily fluids flooding the streets, maybe St Patricks Day isn’t the most ideal time to form an opinion of the city. Yet, given the day that’s in it, it also serves as an opportunity to take stock of the state of homegrown hip-hop. Stevie Rock is a newcomer and is still clearly finding his feet. With the audience hiding in the corners he needs to dominate the stage but instead hangs in the shadows. His backing tracks and rapping style are all clearly US influenced and, while he does what he does well, he perhaps needs to find his own identity. Collie, meanwhile, has bags of both stage prescence and individuality. His material and delivery is most definitely rooted in Dublin and it works well - charismatic, well observed and pretty funny in parts. A new dawn, perhaps?
Given that the Pharcyde arrived less than an hour before show time and have had to do without a soundcheck, they might be forgiven for getting the whole thing over and getting out of here. Instead, they are keen to take care of business and rush the stage before they’ve even finished setting up. Augmented by a DJ, keyboard player and a man mountain of a drummer, the duo are a well drilled live outfit and not a moment is wasted. The crowd pleasing antics that have often seemed so hollow in the hands of others (usually in much larger venues) work to perfection here, and the set hurtles along at breakneck pace. Imani Wilcox and Booty Brown’s 16 years of performing together is clear, as is the fact that their enthusiasm has remained undimmed, despite watching a succession of far less talented chancers make their way to mega stardom while they remain playing places like this. Places like this, however, offer an atmosphere that the megadomes could never rival and the Pharcyde offer a reminder that hip-hop can provide something special in the flesh. The heads may by banging in the morning but the memory of this particular gig should linger a little longer.