Live Review: Illy, Jackie Onassis, Remi

It's set to be a big night – tickets are sold out and a hefty crowd is present when Remi steps on stage for the first set of the night. The talented young MC delivers a fantastically energetic set and gets the crowd bouncing along to tracks such as Saggin, Sangria and new single Livin. It's a great start to the night.

Jackie Onassis are up next – or half of them, at least. Producer Raph Dixon isn't present due to a family concern, so MC Kai Tan has enlisted fellow One Day crewmember Joyride as his DJ for the evening. Unfortunately, perhaps because of the last-minute change-ups, things don't quite reach the bar set by this evening's predecessor. Tan works hard up there, but the flow feels poorly planned, with a midsection of similar-tempo beats that all feel cut from the same bouncy-cruisy cloth. Crystal Balling and Special Occasion give the set a strong finish, though, which leaves the room excited for the main event.

The crowd is chanting his name when Illy hits his hometown stage to deliver a set heavily dominated by tracks from his new album Cinematic. Illy has undeniably grown as a performer over the last few years – he even seems taller, dominating The Hi-Fi's stage with ease. Backed by new touring DJ Cam Bluff, Illy's early set choices delight the crowd, who sing along enthusiastically with On & On, Talk and older gems Diamonds and Cigarettes.

If you're looking for proof of how Australian hip hop has changed, you may well find it at this gig. Dudes in caps and hoods are present in relatively low concentrations, replaced by girls wearing flower crowns. When Illy drops his track Youngbloods, the venue transforms into a music festival, with girls singing along with the Ahren Stringer chorus from atop other people's shoulders. The youthful crowd love Illy, and they definitely love his new album, although the long-time fans scattered throughout the audience can be heard expressing disappointment in the lack of older material played tonight. It Can Wait and Heard It All make late appearances, but anyone holding out hope for more like this in the encore is left wanting when setlist mainstay Pictures is left out in favour of new single Talk and One For The City. Ah, well – in with the new, as they say. And the new kids are definitely picking up what Illy's putting down.