Rob Birch and Nick Hallam were childhood friends and neighbours who formed Stereo MC’s in the mid-eighties, with the pair inspired to make music by their combined love of early hip-hop, funk, and electronic music. They arrive in Birmingham at the tail end of their ‘True to Life’ tour with co-vocalist Cath Coffey and percussionist Tansay Omar completing this quartet.
The foursome enter the stage quietly and for the next near enough one hundred and ten minutes share a masterclass in how to convert a listless Sunday night crowd into a swaying moving frenzy of bodies. `Pressure` kicks us off as Rob prowls the stage and Cath adds occasional backing vibes. The rhythmic `Fade Away` follows and it`s difficult to not sing along to its beguiling chorus of “you can`t make it fade away” before the pace cools down with the reflective `Everything` but it’s the irresistible `Connected` a top ten hit from thirty years ago that really sends this crowd into a frenzy.
`On 33` from the band`s debut album is dusted down but for me tracks like `Step it Up`, `Running` with its African percussive vibes and my favourite `Ground Level` which ends this hour long set which are utterly infectious and have all and sundry grooving along.
It doesn`t take long for the band to return for what becomes two encores which are almost as long as the main set and the non-stop energy continues with what i`m sure is `Sketch`, `Lost In Music`, the thought provoking and socially conscious `We Belong in This World Together` and lyrically rapid fire `Creation`. The groove laden `Sophisticated` rings out before the night closes with `Deep Down & Dirty`
Tonight Rob Birch and the band gave us a tutorial in how to command and connect with an audience blending older hits with newer cuts which became almost contagious. The engine room of DJ Nick Hallam (The Head) and percussionist Tansay Omar provided a solid foundation while Cathy Coffey was the perfect foil to Rob Birch with her delicious vocals and compelling dance moves. A joyful evening where we experienced some energetic funky dance vibes along with subtle rapped lyrics which contained some gritty and edgy social commentary.
Stereo MC`s certainly connected this evening.
