Written by Ben Hargreves 

 

First of all, let me start by saying that I am fully aware this isn’t an EDM review. There’s not really anything electronic or dancey about it. However, Behind the Decks is an Australian company, and is there anything more true blue than supporting Australian music? That’s why today’s review is going to be about a small trio from Adelaide – Hilltop Hoods.

Finally! A chance for myself to see some more Australian music in London, and in a venue I hadn’t been to before – the o2 Forum in Kentish Town. Now the o2 is quite a cool little venue, tailored to smaller music groups, with what I believe would cater to a few thousand people in attendance. As such, you had a more intimate feeling with the band and you had pretty good views all around, without being crammed into a small room and then pushed in every direction. I had an excellent view of HH, the sound was excellent, the drinks were cheap and the crowd was…. well… almost entirely Australian.

​

I had to have a cheeky dig prior to the set and managed to rummage up a set list, so I knew when I finally heard the intro of "Chase That Feeling", it was time to get ready to throw down. HH burst on to the stage with huge amounts of energy to a cheering crowd, as you would expect when you stuff a few hundred Aussies into a room. An excellent opening song too, one that almost every fan SHOULD know every word to, and what a way to start a gig. It’s upbeat, popular, catchy and at its conclusion, you’ve already got the crowd waiting with bated breath for the next song.

Skip a few tracks and you’re going back in time, not just for my people in the front, but back to “1955” - a song which had HUGE popularity (being their second most popular song on YouTube, but we will discuss number one later), and once again, being a song that’s super catchy and easy to pelt out at the top of your lungs. The Hilltop Hoods do not disappoint, and nor do they shy on bringing their best. Later on, you’ve got a more heartfelt song with “Won’t Let You Down” to shift the pace of the gig down a little, before diving back into “Clark Griswold” - another hugely popular song. 

 

Another few tracks go by until you find yourself “Still Standing” back in 2009, part of “State of the Art”. Although this tour went under the name “The Great Expanse”, after their most recent album, the crowd truly came alive for more of their older music, perhaps to a throwback of peak popularity. After their final song, “Rattling the Keys to the Kingdom”, HH left the stage to huge applause, only to return moments later to their most popular song (on YouTube) - “Cosby Sweater”, featuring Briggs, another Australian hip hop artist.

What a way to end a gig, I’ve never even considered going to a hip hop gig in my life, and it’s certainly not my favourite genre, but you’ve always gotta throw a bone to your Aussie musicians and support them where you can, especially overseas. It was a fantastic event, in a great venue - the entire gig was lively with plenty of crowd love (and a sea of Australian accents), and honestly, something I’d go to again - as I said, it’s different from EDM and standing behind turntables, and instead, you can be more energetic and dance around the stage.

 

Well done Hilltop Hoods, you’ve won me over.