Live Review: 6lack, They

The atmosphere before Atlanta rapper 6lack and his band appeared on stage is one of excited energy with the crowd eagerly ready for the night to begin. 

Joining 6lack as support were hip hop duo They. They successfully energised the crowd, jumping across all areas of the stage and getting the crowd to join in on almost every song. If it wasn't already clear, They are more than an up-and-coming act, the set They put on proved They were more than just a support.

After a few warm-up tracks from DJ Tonne including Redbone by Childish Gambino, the crowd is more than ready to feel the love. After a very rock'n'roll style entrance from each band member, 6lack, real name Ricardo Valdez Valentine, emerges to the sound of the greatest roar a crowd can possibly make. 

Massive LED screens read “6lack Pronounced Black” to avoid any possible confusion for newcomers in the crowd. It soon becomes clear that everyone in the room is already a fan and most likely didn’t need the educating. Chanting to every song that graced the stage, Valentine continuously gets the crowd involved by jumping and putting their hands up; it is like everyone in the room is under Valentine’s spell, mimicking every movement he makes.

The use of real drums and percussion throughout the night sets Valentine's performance apart from other hip hop acts while also highlighting his obvious love of real instrumentation.

As it says in the tour title, From East Atlanta With Love, Valentine truly does present his audience with love, creating intimate moments throughout the show by sharing his love of beats and musical poetry with the crowd. It is crystal clear that Valentine’s fans also share the same values as they worship his every gesture as well as nail the lyrics whenever he allows them to finish off a verse or a chorus.

As the show comes to an end, the hype just seems to grow as fan favourite track Prblms is evidently about to kick off. Sure enough, a shirtless Valentine returns to perform the track, bouncing around the stage and seeing the joy in each crowd member’s face; definitely the most memorable moment of the night.