THE idea of an acoustic hip hop tour is one that does not click immediately as something that goes naturally together.
For Australian hip hop duo Horrorshow it is this concept that will set them a part from the rest when they visit Margaret River before they return to their full blood hip hop roots.
“It’s something different for us,” Nick Bryant-Smith said.
Also known as MC Solo, Bryant-Smith said the timing was right for their new performance, with the pair roping in talented friends to perform as a full band.
Despite the new style not being as physically demand with less need to ignite a crowd in movement, Bryant-Smith said in many ways it was a lot more challenging to strip the songs bare and rebuild them from scratch.
The rewards of doing this speak for themselves according to Bryant-Smith.
“It’s a new lease on the life of the material,” Bryant-Smith said.
The crowd were able to zone in and have a ‘listen close’ approach to the music, with Bryant-Smith saying they were able to offer a raw version for connection.
“It’s definitely a different energy from the audience, but at the end of the day it’s still a hip hop show,” he said.
Bryant-Smith said he enjoyed playing with this side of the genre as it was almost an extension of their own unique approach to music.
With nothing to hide behind, Bryant-Smith said the seasoned performers were ready to put themselves on display.
“There’s a pressure with it, but it’s a rush that people are hanging off your every word,” Bryant-Smith said.
“I think this is the kind of tour you can take anywhere in the world.”
The expense of such an act is an inhibiting factor in the aspirations of Horrorshow with Bryant-Smith outlining that two men and a laptop is far more economically viable then six band members and their equipment such as this tour.
With ambitions to one day tour New Zealand, a rare idea as there is a distinct difference between Australian and NZ hip hop, Bryant-Smith said he’d love to bridge the gap between the two aesthetics and perform for those who want to see them live.
The intense nature of the life of the musician contributes to these ambitions with Bryant-Smith saying a lot of travel, not much sleep and endless soul searching for inspiration can place further pressure on the creative process.
“A lot of musicians have moments where they want to throw in the towel,” Bryant-Smith said.
For this tour, those moments have presented themselves but the duo and their guests have taken the approach of over-rehearsing, knowing that the rush, the satisfaction of live performance is just around the corner.
“I know when the lights come on and we’re on stage, it’s all going to come right, come good,” he said.
“There’s nothing really like that feeling; we’re going to keep chasing that feeling.”
Bryant-Smith said they were itching to get to Settlers Tavern to perform the one off show this Thursday night.
Tickets are available through Oztix.
