What I Learned Today: Volume 3 (Fastfood)

Three minutes after you eat CrapDonalds you'll be hungry again.

Quick Review: Skepta - Greatest Hits

I got mine, you better go and get yours. Ps - If you don't find it in HMV, it's in the "Dance" section?!?!?! Not urban but dance.

Skepta
Greatest Hits
Boy Better Know
Not waiting for any major labels Boy Better Know's Joseph Junior Adenuga grabbed his beats and stayed true to his long pledged, "I'm not putting out a mixtape, I'm putting out an album." Production and lyric-wise its as grimey as they come with a confident Skepta boasting of International dates, making money and being "Triple heavy like base." It’s good to hear a whole LP from Skeppy and this is chock-a-block with his [see title], a must for BBK fans and beyond. Love the lyrics, “I called my album Greatest Hits cos all of my old music is better than your latest sh*t,” and love the beats. It’s alright, still… Go on then!!!
Track to Playslist: I Spy Ft. Jammer
3.9898988345 out of 5 and growing

Ps - Hold tight Raj, Hattie and Chewy?!?! from RWD who get a thank you.

Skepta`s Mum Talks Greatest Hits

^^^Skepta @ Rollerdisco^^^

Online record shops like RWDshop.com and such may have been shotting copies from last week but from today, the likes of HMV are now officially stocking Boy Better Know’s latest release. Titled Greatest Hits, it’s a very bold statement from Joseph Junior Adenuga but last time RWD exclusively spoke to Mrs Adenuga she told us that her son has always been an “Extrovert,” also explaining, “everything he does is loud.” So how audible does mumzie find his latest offering? As supportive as ever she energetically informs “I like it, I really like it.” Just coming back from HMV, (“I stood there and watched a few get sold,”) she tells us that more mothers should get onboard with what their sons and daughters are doing, “I was just thinking it would be nice for every parent or carer to get involved and keep them on the straight and narrow. If the parents are involved they do things more responsibly.”

Not only proud of her oldest son, she’s “Ecstatic,” she jubilantly divulged. “I’m really impressed with everything. In fact, the first track [The Journey] takes me on a trip down memory lane. I don’t know how he came up with the concept but he talks about when I was expecting him. He even talks about when he nearly fell out of the window as well.” With everyone having their favourite track (mine being I Spy Ft. Jammer) it was soon time to ask Mrs Adenuga’s… obviously Sweet Mother is not included, “Apart from Sweet Mother, my favourite track has to be the Blood, Sweat and Tears track. I like that because it gave all the musicians (I don’t know their names) but it gave them the opportunity to send a message to the young people. It talks about all the people who have fought for our rights and then we just go and kill ourselves… that makes sense, it’s my favourite.” Not only liking tracks No.11 and No.13, respectively, there are a few others which get a special mention. “With In A Corner, I like the beat,” we’re told. “I like the fact that three or four of them have put their heads into it. One person is saying this and another person is saying that. It just gives me an idea of what they are doing out there. For him to sing that, it shows how some of them pick on each other. It’s a nice record but much more. It gave me an idea of what their scene is like. With more tracks like this I can see grime going into the mainstream, it’s not all about knife/ gun/ knife/ gun… grime music is like any other genre.”

With every t-shirt sold, increasing conscious lyrics and lessons learned in Ayia Napa last year (if you’re in the dark about those events check the skit - track No.7) Skepta is learning valuable lessons with each day he reigns in the music game. “For him to include the Ayia Napa story on his LP, it shows he is growing up,” his mum tells RWD, “I like that one as well. When he was going through that we were dying in the house here, so listening to that shows he was able to deal with it and learn from it as well. That is the most important thing. I think he has matured so much.” Along the way, it seems everyone is growing wiser, “I have learned that no matter how old the young people think we are we should get involved with everything they do. We should try to do as little or as much as we can, just so they know we are there for them. So they fear, they respect or they just get the much needed social skills from us. We won’t go to raves with them obviously but I listen to shows and support their work.”

Common, Nas and other artists have all bridged the gap and linked up with their parents on a track, RWD wondered if they’ll ever be a parental addition to Boy Better Know’s back catalogue. Our answer is swift but vague, “I’m still battling that,” she states of a collabo. “There are a lot of people in Nigeria that want to see a Sweet Mother release and want me to be on it but…” we await the exclusive news, “no, I’ll probably just be there to organise a tour for them or something.” With Skepta recently getting his political game on in The New Statesman, answering “Asthma pumps should be available over the counter, it’s long having to go to the doctor’s every time you need a new one.” to their ‘If you were world leader, what would be your first law?’ question it’s only a matter of time before he’s in Gordon Brown’s seat. His mum concurs, “I like that, he’s moving into a new area of adult life.”

Skepta’s album is out now!!! If you haven’t already got your copy of Greatest Hits (slipping!!!) pop down the High Street or purchase online right now.

RWD TV Meets Goodz

Have a look at the footage...



For more interviews check out RWD TV

What I Learned Today: Volume 2 (Fashion)

As much as it pains me to say, Nike Air Max 95s are now dead.



Last Thursday I witnessed Eastenders' Ian Beale walk out of his door with black Nike Air Max 95s on. Ian Beale... Ian Beale!!!

Interview: Durrty Goodz

On Thursday 2 November 2006, Dwayne Mahorn aka Durrty Goodz was cleared of the murder and manslaughter of 21 year-old Richard Holmes. Just seconds earlier, his stepbrother Carl Dobson, better known as Crazy Titch was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Goodz opens up exclusively to RWD as we get the latest from one of the UK’s finest rhymers.... [interview featured in the September issue of RWD Magazine]

Firstly welcome back...
Yeah, blessed. [Sits forward] I feel good man, I feel like a new MC, just to be back and making the music.

The last time I actually saw you, it was really deep. You were in the dock next to Carl and Anthony [Crazy’s stepfather] and you were crying...
Wow.

What was going through your mind at that time?
[Sighs] Man was just mixed with emotions, still. It was so, so deep, but I’ll tell you one thing. I’m glad that you said you were there and you saw it because on my [Axiom] EP, I’ve got the bonus track and that kind of explains it. When the peoples are hearing that coming from you, they’re gonna look at it and say, ‘Ah, so it really is real. He really said what was happening.’ So yeah, obviously I just wanted to come home. No one wants to be in there for that amount of time. It’s long.

It felt like you wanted to say something...
I was saying things in my head; I was just speaking to the Lord, if you wanna be that real. No one else could save or help me. In that situation, what are you gonna do? Your best friend, your brother, your mum... no one can do nothing for you. The Lord heard my cry and I’m thankful for that every second of the way.

It could have gone two ways for you...
Yeah, you see the system, it’s kinda funny. Not just to blame it on the system, cos if you get in trouble, you’re in trouble and if you do something, you do something. But when you’re actually in the court system, it’s kinda deep. You could get sentenced for just coming out that day with the wrong look.

When the judge said something like, ‘Even though the killer is not in this room, Carl Dobson [Crazy Titch] still played a prominent role in the death,’ how did that make you feel? Knowing the judge said that the killer was not in the room and that Titch was getting jailed anyway?
That line came up kinda half way through the trial. I was always baffed from the beginning. When they said ‘The man who done it is not here,’ I was thinking ‘Ok, so why am I here? Cos I ain’t done it. Can I go home?’ That’s all I was thinking. But it’s just the system and there is not much you could do when you’re caught in it. To be really real with you, when it gets to the stage where people are getting life sentences and all that, it is everyman for himself. You can speak to anyone in jail and they will tell you that, still.

What got you through all that time inside?
Like I say it was the Lord, a lot of praying and staying righteous.

Did anyone try to move to you, cos of who you were?
Yeah-nah-nah. You always get that still. No one was successful though. The only thing is there was always more love cos of who we were.

Do you regret the whole situation going that far?
Erm, [briefly looks at the floor] you can’t really turn back the hands of time. If I could, I would probably rewind it. Why not? No one wants to go through that if you don’t have to. But I’m a person that walks in the path of the Lord anyway so... [briefly looks up] Whatever happened it was... meant to be. As scary as that sounds. This is God’s way. Who am I to change it? I just have to give thanks that I’m still here and still breathing .

If there was ONE thing you could change, what would that be?
[Pauses] Erm... [Mumbles question to himself] Apart from bringing my brothers and that home, I wish I could change the minds of others. They’re thinking real low and not realising what mans really doing. I’m here for the music. They just see one side to me.

So what’s the difference between Dwayne and Durrty Goodz?
[Smiles] Ah, you see what it is, Dwayne is like much more civilised, still [laughs]. You can talk to him any day. He’s very sociable and approachable, but ‘Durrty’ now, he’s lost his marbles in the studio. You don’t know what he’s going to do next; he’s just unpredictable, still.

You were released in November ‘06. What have you done since?
The first thing, believe it or not – cos I’m so deep with the music – I just went studio. I picked out a couple of UK beats I was feeling, like Sway’s Little Derek (now Little Dwayne) and Swiss’ Cry. Then we came up with Switching Songs Part 1. After that I started getting real focused and started to analyse the scene properly. I want to show the people the truth.

Tell us about Axiom...
It’s the self-evident, recognised truth. It’s like bringing back the music. I’m just trying to take back the scene and bring the scene back to the music. The scene kind of got a bit lost and everybody started jumping up on a gangsta and money flex.

A lot of people think this is the best mixtape they’ve heard in a while...
Yeah? I appreciate that. I did actually try and accomplish that. That was the mission. There was no half-stepping, no half-hearted flex around here. It’s like new levels. I believe I made it harder for the other MCs as well. Like, what are you lot going to do now? Cos I can always raise my level, but can you lot beat this level? See what I’m trying to say?

What’s your favourite track on there?
Give me the Music featuring Ny. My soul is in there. I was feeling it, I was loving it. The track to Titch was the most emotional. The others are like outskilling these MCs.

Throughout the EP there are references to lazy MCs... who are these lazy MCs? Do you wanna expose anyone?
Nah [laughs] just in general. People have been slipping. If you think about it, I’ve been away for a while you know. Not just from the trial and all that. You can go back another year before with the label business [with Polydor Records]. I was working on my album so I was in the studio learning about how to songwrite more and gel with the music. Obviously it was natural to me, but sometimes natural talent can be improved as well.

Nurtured...
Yeah, yeah, nurtured. So while I was studying and making the Born Blessed LP – which you’ll be hearing shortly - I didn’t hear no one come with no innovation or anything. Everyone is MCing the same; you’ve got the universe, so why is everyone talking about the high road? [laughs]

You’ve been keeping it ‘REAL’ with grime and dubstep tracks. How do you explain the grimier influence in your music now...
It’s all just music to me. The titles and the names and all that is kinda totally irrelevant to me cos I’m an MC innit. When we are making tracks, we just wanna hear good music. I don’t really care what they call it.

How do tracks get to you? Like, Take Back The Scene, Coki’s dubstep track...
You’ve got to be out on road and have your ear to the street.

What sort of elements make you want to spit on a track?
We just need to hear hotness. If there are any producers out just holla at me, still. Get on those bass-lines and all that. Get the melodies and the drums ready. Check out Axiom and you’ll know where to go.

Before you went away, we had the Durrty Whirl sampler that was more hip hop, would you say you’ve changed from that sound on Axiom?
Yeah, but it’s not really changed my views. I’ve always done hip hop since I was super young.

I remember we played This Is How We Slew all day...
Yeah, that was just me in the studio with an engineer. I remember paying my own money, going studio and... I was with Polydor them times and they were loose balling. So I came up with an idea to do a mix CD and dropped the sampler first.

So what is the next step for you?
The Durrty Whirl 2 project, that is gonna be another big project dere. The Born Blessed LP is done – that’s my whole life right there, and that will be another level up above Axiom.

Weather Man is big, how did that track come about?
Just ears to the streets again. I think that was a kind of dubsteppy kind of riddim. Again, I didn’t hear the difference, I just jumped on it, sprayed it, played it.

Tell us about the side of you that people don’t see... like the guitar playing side?
That is for the album, still. That’s why I worked on it first. By working on that first, by working on that it made it easier to work on the rest of these other projects now.

Lastly is there a message for Titch?
Titch has got his message on the [hidden] track there. He’s cool.

Polydor?
Nah [laughs].

The haters?
Nah man, they’re cool. They’re congratulators really. They love it though really.

Anyone you’ve wronged in the past?
Nah, hold tight man. Yeah. Hold tight still. [Lightly laughs]

The record for fastest rap is 720 syllables in 51.27 seconds. Do you think you could break the record?
Yeah, Durrty Goodz probably can. Yeah, cos he’s unpredictable still. I’m not trying to, I’m just trying to make music and make songs.

If there was any record in the world what would you want?
I dunno? Erm… [pauses] Ah, maybe the fastest MC to come out of England since Slick Rick? I’d be cool with that.

Quote of the Week - The Slam Van Gets Renamed!?!?

Louise: Yeah, it's for the Slam Jam!!!

What she meant to say is, "It's for the Slam Van"

RWD TV Meets Kano

For the more interviews and exclusives check http://www.rwdmag.com/tv

London Town is OUT NOW!!! HMV is YOU!!!

WOW - Raj has a Blog!!!

It's taken THREE years but Raj has finally been transformed into a Blogger. When he's not on Facepoop, MySpace, RWDmag.com/raj, RWDmag.com/forum, Bebo or some other place that stops him doing any writing he's HERE (http://rajkapone.blogspot.com/)

What I Learned Today: Volume 1 (Running)

Ok here is a new feature on my blog. It's inspired by the random thoughts that enter my head which need an outlet. What do you think of it's 3 minute artwork? So here it is...

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY

I will watch ANY woman run.

Quick Review - Kanye West Graduation

Wow, looking back its hard to believe Late Registration dropped in September 2005 as it still sounds fresh. Even harder on the frontal lobe is the fact that The College Dropout was released in April a year prior. It seems Graduation is the Back to the Future Part III of the series. On the LPs opening, Good Morning, Yeezy smartly speaks of being the fly Malcolm X ("by any jeans necessary") and from the off he rhymes of jumping in his Delorean and progressing unlike others who are afraid to experiment, be outspoken and go against the norm.

My favourite track, Champion, soon follows. It’s that uplifting high tempo (yet very short) number to give the LP an early boost. Again in boast mode West informs, "I don't see why I need a stylist when I shop so much I can speak Italian," this short lived instant track to check is soon followed by the perfect lead single. Stronger is kinda massive. He might be known as the Louis Vuitton Don but this is the best example of him as The Sampling Don using Daft Punk's Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger to create an instant classic. Definitely worth the 79p I paid for it on iTunes.

Here is a clip of Stronger at the Vodafone TBA gig...


Next up was a track I first heard at the previously mentioned TBA gig, I Wonder. It’s very layered and very deep. The orchestra are all up on this track and you'll be singing the hook for days. This is another example of Ye's humorous lyrical content and the ability to rhyme almost any two words, "How many ladies in the house? How many ladies in the house without a spouse? Cos there's something in your blouse that has got me feeling so AROoooUSED!!!" Quality. The next track, Good Life is 100% yeast extract… love it or hate it. Although, I'm actually in the middle. I love the lyrics ("Welcome to the good life where we like the girls who AIN'T on TV, cos they got more ass than the models," and the drinking champagne while getting brains on a plane line) but I hate T-Pain. Oh, I hate T-Pain boy. So Good Life often gets skipped cos I can't take that overused electronic vocoder shit. Why is he the go to guy at the minute? With Chris Brown being the latest to be hooked up with Tallahassee's finest worst.

After forward is pressed though you’ll reach the quality Can't Tell Me Nothing "Laaaa La La Laa Laaaa, wait till I get my money right," this track is sprinkled with quality lines. Him talking about buying more jewellery and Louie V and not even his mother can stop him and that George Bush incident, “I’m on TV talking like it’s just you and me” not stopping there we’re soon met with one of the deepest lines/ rhymes on Graduation; "You know I already Graduated, you can live through anything if Magic made it." Deep. “Magic” I assume being Earvin Effay Johnson, Jr. aka Magic Johnson who tested positive for HIV in the early 90s.

[As this is being written on the bus I’m slowly running out of time]

Barry Bonds... Not feeling. Even with Lil Wayne – who Kanye and half the world love – is spitting all over it.

Drunken Hot Girls... Kinda feeling it, although no one else is. I don’t know what it is, it’s just catchy. Love the lines, “Stop talking about your boyfriend cos he isn’t me,” and “I don’t want your friends, I just want you.” How true.

Flashing Lights, s’alright. Your mum might like it.

Everything I Am… big. Very conscious content. Not sure about the whiny sample/ singing woven throughout but the piano and scratching are live. “I never rocked a mink coat in the winter time like Killa Cam or rocked some mink boots in the summer like Will.I.Am…” This track feels like a polite fingers-up to the anti-Kanye Patrol and those who have hated on the rapper/ producer, it comes across well. This is another lyrical gem, “People talk so much shit about me in barber shops they forget to get their hair cut.” Nice, just before we hear, “They’re trying to give me the N***er Please award but I’d rather take the I Got a Lotta Cheese award.”

The Glory… waste. Someone please tell me what this track is like as I swear I haven’t heard it the whole way though yet.

Homecoming, is a grower. Didn’t like it at first as Chris Martin sounded like a homeless person… which is quite ironic as he grumpily slurs, “I’m coming home again…” However with each play it gets better and Coldplay’s Fair Trade supporting frontman sounds less afflicted and more soulful. Another well produced track.

Big Brother, complete Jay-Z suckage. Wow, you can taste the suckage on this one. Catchy hook but I guess I’m not really into it that much. I listen to it still. Nice beat/ hook/ vocals but Kanye sounds slightly muffled on it though… I assume he is actually rapping out of Jigga’s behind. I respect the fact that he pays homage to the man who upped his profile, listened to his beats and brought him into the game but… come on…

Good Night, it’s a very good hidden track/ outro and the lyrical content rings true. Listen to it a few times and you’ll find something to relate to.

A very good album with amazing artwork (the best I have seen in a while) but will it beat 50 Cent in the States? And will it stand the test of time? Who knows. Graduation is a strong 4 out of 5 though!!!

[Gotta go, tis my stop!!!]

Quick Review: Superbad

Next Friday, (September 14) sees the release of a film that has taken America by storm. As you may have guessed by the informative title that motion picture is, Columbia Tristar’s Superbad (Cert 15). Following in the comedic footsteps of 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up - sharing the same writers and director - this is the movie that saved our summer. Yeah there’s been quite a few films out in the last few months (we’re not forgetting the likes of Transfomers and such, no way) but a few other so-called “blockbusters”, merely came off like an elongated version of their usual 30 minute outing. So it took three misfit teens to lead the way.

Seth, Evan and Fogell...

This boob punching, obsessive c*ck drawing, time telling, menstrual cycle staining, fake id buying, gun shooting, green beer drinking, VAAASHHGGG pursuing, cop mocking laugh convoy is so funny, you’re laughing half way through the next scene and beyond. A must!!! McLovin for President!!!
5/5

Check the clips…

Kelly Osborne in London

Kelly Osborne in London
Originally uploaded by Danny Walker 1.

Ok so I'm driving in London and guess who I pull up next to? I've given you a small clue in the title...

More Star Wars...

More Star Wars...
Originally uploaded by Danny Walker 1.

I hope this images shows up... Star Wars chess you know!!!

And I'm a Geek (I think not)

And I'm a Geek (I think not)
Originally uploaded by Danny Walker 1.

I'm not gonna name names but this picture EXPOSES someone who claims that they're not a geek. I witnessed (with me own eyes), the BIGGEST box of Star Wars crap ever collected. It ranged from lifesized Star Wars cut outs to miniature Boba Fett dolls... Wow!!!

So you think you’re H-ar-D? (Review of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 HD-DVD player)

Have a gander at our dummies guide to quick and relatively cheap High Definition… words by Danny Walker (Your favourite dummy's favourite dummy)



So everyone's talking about HD and you still don't have a clue, thinking it’s just someone's initials or something. First of all, HD stands for High Definition as opposed to the lesser Standard Definition and it can be applied to gaming, video, television, radio and shopping (believe me, when women shop there is nothing standard about that).

Before you think about buying the add-on for your beloved Xbox 360 (please tell me you have a 360 as the HD-DVD player won’t work on its own), you need to have a TV in the words of Fonejacker “Ready for the Hurd”. This means your visual equipment needs to be able to except the signal sent from the 360. If it doesn’t have a little white sticker on it, you need to get yourself down to Argos (or online as there are quite a few bargains to be had nowadays).

Those currently content with loaning your mum’s 14 inch black and white portable this article isn’t really for you. I suggest you stay in the past and forget about the future… it’s just too big a step for you right now. But those willing to upgrade the easiest way to obtain the next level of luxury is to get yourself a television with a decent output. This means your HD-ready TV needs to have the best contrast, brightness and be the biggest size you can afford.

Once you have a decent TV – try not to go below 17 inches, you could go smaller but you might as well be watching the footage on your phone – you need to hook it up to your 360 and then the HD-DVD player to that.

Thankfully, the HD-DVD add-on works straight out of the box. There is a setup disc that gets your Elite, Premium or Core box ready to play High Definition movies. This adds software or something to the unit as well as an interesting icon where the “play game” symbol is – splitting it into Play HD-DVD or Play Game. After the software is installed there is a simple USB wire that hooks up to the back (or the front) of the unit and you’re ready to go.

In short, the picture quality is three notches above superb - King Kong being my only frame of reference. The sound is pretty strong too. It makes it seem as though the oversized PG Tips Primate is in your living room. The image is never blurry or rushed like some standard DVDs and action sequences are a joy to watch. You can use the (supplied) remote to navigate just like a normal DVD too, which allows just anyone to be the master of their own front room.

The only downside though is, A – it’s not integrated and B – Not all film company’s are supporting the format, choosing to go with Sony’s Blu-ray. Those who are onboard are really going for it though, re-releasing some very popular titles (did I hear someone say Top Gun). Some films also come on a combo disc, which is pure genius. On one side will be HD content and the other a regular DVD – which can be played in all standard players. Genius right?

HD-DVD will be around for sometime yet (despite what the Sony fanboys are spouting) and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and its increasingly popular add-on player is the cheapest place to get both HD gaming and video.

A great choice for 360 owners, film geeks and/ or lovers of home entertainment.

Mitchell Brothers, Calvin Harris and Michael Jackson

After the lukewarm reception of their last underground single Solemate - which uncovered their undying love for trainers – the new single, Michael Jackson is packing a touch more heat. The same track that went down well at Get Loaded in the Park.

The Mitchell Brother’s make their coveted return alongside Calvin Harris of “I love all the girls, I love aaaall the girls” fame. It sees the cousins spout, “I wish I could dance like,” the King of Pop over a typically infectious Calvin Harris 80s inspired refix.

Check the impressive, Michael Jackson, video…


Moving on from their debut LP, Breath of Fresh Attire, Tony and Teddy (signed to Mike Skinner’s The Beats) have their second album ready to drop. Titled Dressed for the Occasion, The Mitchell’s are back with a smartly dressed bang.

Quick Review: Get Loaded In the Park

Another Bank Holiday in August, another quality weekend to add to the list of many. With most still rubbing their sore heads trying their best to recover from Sunday's Metro Weekender and the Notting Hill and Leeds Carnivals other, more professional amongst us are busy reporting what went down.

Embarking on sunny Clapham Common for Get Loaded in the Park on Sunday was a touch taxing. Sweaty tube systems, mislocated tickets and dehydration were high on the list of things one had to overcome. Nevertheless these minor challenges were defeated, shades were donned and SW4 was infiltrated.

Ascending on the park thousands of likeminded revellers brushed shoulders and carefully trudged over the swamp-like rubberised mud-based surface. Via the bar (and the ice cream van), we opened the map/ schedule and evaluated exactly how we were gonna see everyone we wanted... With highlights including M.I.A., The Beats stage, The Go! Team and of course Mike Skinner and The Streets it was a lot to get through.

Starting the afternoon with must-see M.I.A. – who failed to disappoint – performing previous hits from 2005’s Arular and the latest from her second LP Kala. An upbeat Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam let loose on the XFM stage and seemed to relish her moment in front of the packed following. As did The Go! Team on the main stage before The Dirty Pretty Things took over and rocked the afternoon away.

Even though there was a lastminute.com addition of Babyshambles, Pete “Jail Dodging” Doherty failed to turn up (apparently in rehab), the massive crowd didn’t seem bothered, they continued to drink the Carlsberg, cider and whatever was in those plastic “wine” glasses.

Meanwhile a moderately full Beats tent was entertained by a stylish Mitchell Brothers, a smartly dressed Professor Green, a yellow cardigan wearing Example and a That’s not a skirt it’s a belt-clad Neon take to the stage. Briefly joined by Mike Skinner and Ted Mayhem on the decks – who were told to turn it down ‘because of the 40k sound system’ at one point but definitely refused – they had the crowd up and down. Pro Green’s Clapham Common freestyle, Example’s light-hearted rendition of Britney Spears’ Toxic and The Mitchell’s latest track Michael Jackson being the highlights.

At 7.40 precisely (ON TIME, PLEASE NOTE HE WAS ON TIME) Mike Skinner kicked off his headlining set with Original Pirate Material’s opener Turn the Page. The reaction was as if everyone in the crowd had just one the Euromillions Jackpot or something and Skinner lapped it up. As cocky as ever, the frontman joked with the thousands of karaoke-like crowd in-between album hits. Naturally during the set we were made to Go Low (where everyone in the audience… goes low) and anthems like Let’s Push Things Forward and Has It Come To This soon followed. As the sun went down, Skinner kept dropping track after track as the oversized Metro balls (you have to see ‘em to believe ‘em) were crowd surfing and plastic bottles flew from end-to-end. Whilst we were dodging unidentified flying objects, Example lazily made his way onto the stage to play ‘Tim’ in The Irony of It All and briefly left before other big tracks continued The Streets leg of the gig, including Fit But You Know It, Never Went To Church and many more. The standard encore followed (some people actually left at this point… stuuupidly thinking it was over with 20 minutes left) as we were treated to a rendition of The Twang’s recent hit Either Way. Ladies were then “treated” to Skinner taking his top off, and the males in attendance had their eyes on a poor attempt from a young lady to respond to Skinner’s cries of “Let’s all get naked!!!”



A very well performed, thought out headlining set capped off a very impressive Get Loaded line up. Metro Weekender, we’ll see you next year.