The Roots @SB Empire Review

Live hip hop supergroup The Roots blessed West London last night with a typically accomplished, infectious and - quite frankly - f***ing heavy live performance. I'm still reeling -smug grin on face, head still bopping. Do you need anymore of a review than that? Fine, here it is...

Without the common gig gripe of having to peer between unfeasibly tall heads, the indulgence of taking over a whole balcony with a 16 deep crew was a positive start to the evening. With The Roots set to play the second London date of their Game Theory world tour and Plan B in support, things were only going one way. Erm, up.

Forest Gate's finest (and TKOver Arena favourite) Plan Bizzle kicked off proceedings with a typically brash yet refined performance, swaggering about the imposing Empire stage like a pitbull on a leash. The guitar-wielding emcee delivered his solid repertoire, with an emphasis on the grittier material; including the Damilola Taylor-inspired 'Kidz', the clever 'Sick2Def' and his Roots Manuva 'Witness' refix. It was certainly fitting to have such a unique emcee who adds another dimension live supporting The Roots.

With tings warmed up nice, drinks in and brocking space secured, the Philadelphia band took the stage to a rousing reception. Oozing assured confidence from the get-go, The Roots proved why they are considered one of the best live groups of our times. Enigmatic drummer ?uestlove and frontman Black Thought opened the set with 'Web', and the band continued to build on that momentum throughout the water-tight show.

The transition between tunes and the rotation of band solos was seamless, with classic interludes sprinkled liberally amongst their hits - such as Kool & The Gang's 'Jungle Boogie' dropped cheekily between 'In The Music' and their recent killer 'Don't Feel Right'... prompting Kool-esque dance moves from guitarist Kirk Douglas!

Tipping Point's 'Don't Say Nothing' and 'Guns Are Drawn' were personal favourites that had your boy making full use of the balcony brocking space. An inevitable highlight was the lengthy rendition of the classic 'You Got Me', which was bouyed by a sensational surprise cameo... by Amy Winehouse! The outspoken North London chanteuse mesmerised both the crowd and band with her soulful warblings, including a great exchange with the guitarist over her 'Back To Black'. There was a real sense of British pride watching Ms Winehouse, hand-picked and backed by The Roots band!

As if the musical feast hadn't spoilt us enough already, ?uestlove's drum solo eagerly awaited did not disappoint. The afro-ed unofficial soul of the band emanates positive, assured energy. Wouldn't you if you were that good?! His solo journeyed seamlessly across a range of drumming styles, spanning hip hop, funk, rock, DnB, tribal and, perhaps most impressively, jazz. The tricks he can perform, at such length and with such mastery, have to be seen to be believed - words simply won't do it justice.

It was quite the show, as expected, but nothing could have prepared the appreciative crowd for the encore. With ?uestlove tinkering on the keys and pacing the stage, Black Thought teased the crowd to next-level decibels before unleashing a barrage of hip hop & pop classics with a distinct Roots twist. Starting with a rousing take on The Police's 'Roxanne', they moved into their own feel-good hit 'The Seed', followed by Michael Jackson's classic 'Smooth Criminal'! That bassline everytime. But even that wasn't enough.

The next half hour saw covers of *deep breath*... Ray Charles ('I Got A Woman'), Dr Dre ('Dre Day'), Snoop ('Whats My Name'), Lil Kim ('Put Ur Lighters Up'), Justin Timberlake ('Like I Love You'), 'Shake, Rattle & Roll' and many more, finished off with Salt 'n' Pepa's 'Push It'. Particular favourites included ODB's 'Ooh Baby (I Like It Raaaaaw)' and a brief Biggie/Tupac section, along with an impressive and diverse keys solo from Kamal Grey. Phewie. It was hard to keep up! With covers it can be easy to overlook the skillful manner in which The Roots translated many of these tunes into live form. Rest assured, mass braaaps and brocking ensued.

One thing setting The Roots apart is an organic energy and effortless aura that comes from an envious blend of experience, innate musical sense and supreme skill. Rarer still is their ability to communicate this so coherently to the audience. All in all, the combination of performance, pure vibes, tunes, 'private' balcony and company resulted in perhaps the most fun that I've experienced at a gig. Roots... You Got Me.

Special mention to my poor Nats and Inter who couldnt make it. This piece is for you. Shouts to all who took over the balcony: Hustla, Megs, Katie, Cheryl, Steph, Charlie, Nat, Maxwell, D, Chris, Yash, Keira et al.