Photo: WENN
Chase and Status bring their spectacular road show to London's O2 Arena tonight. It's a vast space that can drain the life out of shows if bands don't know how to work it. Thankfully, Chase and Status never look in any kind of trouble tonight, delivering a masterclass on how to keep a whole crowd dancing, sweating and cheering like their lives depended on it.
The first highlight comes very early on with 'No Problem', with Hype-man and occasional vocalist MC Rage delivering the lyrics in wonderfully menacing style over an absurdly huge beat. Slowed down ever so slightly and beefed up significantly, it sounds magnificent. Even when the lights go down due to technical problems half way through the song, the crowd just mosh in darkness and I'm not even sure if half of them noticed until the song ended.
MC Rage himself is at the heart of the success of the show. He gets out every cliche; in the book, his favourite being 'Make some noise for Chase and Fucking Status'. He pogoes himself to a standstill and strikes various poses over the two hour show. Sometimes his antics border on the camp, but there's no doubting he possesses a much underrated skill of owning even the largest of stages.
The introduction of various guest vocalists keeps the show fresh, with particular highlights being Pusha T for 'Machine Gun' and Jacob Banks for the irresistible 'Alive'. Absent guest vocalists Plan B and Delilah loom over the stage on giant screens to deliver respective songs ‘End Credits’ and ‘Time’. Some slower songs don't quite hit the mark. It feels as if they have been put in either as a break for the crowd's weary bodies or a chance to replenish long spilt beer supplies.
Chase and Status don't really do subtlety, they do bass. Lots of bass. A faithful rendition of Rage Against the Machine's 'Killing in The Name Of' is a lot better than it really has any right to be, which showcases the band's not often seen versatility. Soon the show is over is a cacophony of pyrotechnics and smoke machines. I don't think you'd find anyone in this arena tonight who didn't have a good time, it's seemingly impossible.
In terms of Chase and Status themselves, you could argue they don't really do a whole lot on stage. Mainly stood behind keyboards and laptops, except when Chase makes the occasional foray out to play guitar, they are industrious rather than spectacular. However, when they've written the songs and masterminded a show this good, they've earned the right to stay in the background while wonderful chaos unfurls all around them.
