Review: The Streets supported by The Avalanches (DJ Set) at Festival Hall, Melbourne, July 18th, 2019

Back in 2009, a review of The Streets’ most recent Adelaide performance appeared in The Advertiser. Although my memory is hazy, the article mentioned how the turnout to Mike Skinner’s Monday night show was less than stellar, so much so that talk was specifically made about how much floorspace was visible.

At the time, this was stunning news. After all, The Streets were by this point an icon of the English hip-hop genre, with 2002’s Original Pirate Material even being considered a possible winner for the prestigious Mercury Prize that year. It seemed almost criminal for an artist of his calibre to be overlooked at the time.

While fans had no idea that just over two years later, The Streets would wave goodbye with one final visit to our shores, they had even less idea that it would be another six years before word of a reunion would come about.

Thankfully, this year’s Splendour In The Grass lineup promised fans that after eight years away from Australia, Mike Skinner would be bringing his iconic project back to Australia, and this time, it was clear that fans were not going to be taking his presence for granted.

Check out ‘Has It Come To This’ by The Streets:

As punters piled into the cosy confines of Melbourne’s legendary Festival Hall, it was clear that this evening would be a special one. With punters sporting shirts featuring the famous Streets’ lighter symbol, and hip-hop shirts of all variety on display, it was obvious what fans were here for.

As the lights dimmed on the Thursday night crowd, a cheer from the surprisingly sparse crowd heralded the arrival of Melbourne’s very own legends The Avalanches, with Tony Di Blasi and Robbie Chater arriving to kick off a rare DJ set.

With a simple scratch of a record, we were away, with huge beats accompanying older melodies from songs like ‘Feeling Good’, undoubtedly indicating we were well and truly in Avalanches territory.

With Chater and Di Blasi tag-teaming the deck, this mesmerising mix of the old and new sounded just as though we were being treated to cuts from a lost Avalanches album.

Before long, the energy slowly yet notably began to rise, with the atmosphere becoming almost hypnotic as deep house and funky horns merged together to sound like what you’d think Underworld’s disco period might have been.

Throwing in familiar gems like Led Zeppelin’s ‘Immigrant Song’, INXS’ ‘Just Keep Walking’, and even Yothu Yindi’s ‘Treaty’, it was a musical treat for the senses, with the pair even trotting out their beloved ‘Subways’ for good measure.

Undoubtedly though, while we might be waiting for a third album for quite some time, fans certainly won’t say no to receiving DJ sets like this from The Avalanches, an experience which shows the duo at their best and most comfortable.

While it felt as though only moments had passed, the pair’s hour-long set had sadly come to a close, with a near-capacity crowd having gathered around to witness the event. For many, they had joined just in time to hear the duo drop ‘Since I Left You’ to serve as their exit music, clearly leaving fans of Aussie music hungry for more.

Check out ‘Since I Left You’ by The Avalanches:

As the cheers rose from a clearly eager crowd, a three-piece band preceded the arrival of vocalist Kevin Mark Trail, before Mike Skinner’s unassuming face appeared onstage. Yes, The Streets were back, and there was no time to let a single second go to waste.

As the sound of a keyboard drone slowly faded out, it was time to get messy, with ‘Turn The Page’ indicating that we’d be starting right back at the beginning of The Streets’ story.

As the track flowed into ‘Let’s Push Things Forward’, the casual yet ferocious attitude of Mike Skinner was on full display, with his dazzling lyrics being punctuated by his effortless quips to the crowd, and his vocal interplay with Trail.

Only two songs in, Skinner’s trademark humour was already shining through the performance, spraying the crowd with some interstate wine from the Hunter Valley, and requesting some nice champagne in its place. “We don’t fuck with that,” he joked, “Let’s just put that on the floor.”

Barely missing a beat, things were off once again, and anthems like ‘Don’t Mug Yourself’ and ‘Could Well Be In’ saw the crowd showing their full-blown appreciation for a long-awaited headline performance from The Streets.

Check out ‘Don’t Mug Yourself’ by The Streets:

While the hip-hop classics were on full display, and the jovial interactions with the crowd kept coming, Mike Skinner wasn’t going to just leave our ears ringing, he was determined to ensure that we all felt as one.

Stopping at numerous points to remind us we don’t need to focus on being cool (considering Instagram likes are off the table, and “we’re all going to die anyway”), the performance felt equal parts like a classic hits showcase and a self-help seminar that truly succeeded in its goal.

As we ripped through the likes of ‘Has It Come To This?’, ‘Everything Is Borrowed’, and ‘Never Went To Church’, the vibe dipped between frenetic intensity, and that of a downtempo comedown session, helping to strike a much-needed balance between tracks, and ensuring we all had time to catch our breath.

By the time the main set ended with a cathartic rendition of ‘Dry Your Eyes’, fans could easily have believed that time had stood still for the better part of an hour, with the end coming shortly after proceedings even began.

Thankfully, the evening’s encore somehow managed to see the intensity raised once again, with Skinner dropping in a track from his The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Light project, before covering Grim Sickers’ ‘Open The Till’ to much-warranted applause.

Undoubtedly though, the high-point of the night was the closing number of ‘Fit But You Know It’, which resulted in some of the wildest singalongs imaginable, and some of the loudest and most forceful deliveries from Skinner.

Ending the night with more alcohol sprayed upon the audience, some crowdsurfing from the back of the venue, and even a search for his lost shoe, the night’s conclusion felt less like an abrupt end, and more the fitting finale to a long-overdue headline spot from one of England’s finest artists.

While it had undoubtedly been a long time between drinks for The Streets, Mike Skinner is unequivocally one of the best in the game, with his trademark mix of excitement, lyrical delivery, and endearing humour being something other artists would dream of matching.

With two albums on the way over the coming year (and a new song dropping during the show), it’s clear fans will be hoping for another return from Mike Skinner before too long.

Check out ‘Fit But You Know It’ by The Streets:

The Streets @ Festival Hall, Melbourne 18/7/19 Setlist

‘Turn The Page’

‘Let’s Push Things Forward’

‘Same Old Thing’

‘Don’t Mug Yourself’

‘Could Well Be In’

‘Has It Come To This?’

‘Geezers Need Excitement’

‘Everything Is Borrowed’

‘Never Went To Church’

‘Stay Positive’

‘Going Through Hell’

‘Too Much Brandy’

‘It’s Too Late’

‘The Escapist’

‘Dry Your Eyes’

Encore:

‘Your Wave God’s Wave God’

‘Open The Till’ (Grim Sickers cover)

‘Weak Become Heroes’/’Prangin’ Out’

‘Blinded By The Lights’

‘Fit But You Know It’

The Streets Australian Tour 2020

(Remaining dates)

Friday, July 19th (Sold Out)

Enmore Theatre, Sydney, NSW

Saturday, July 20th

Splendour In The Grass, Byron Bay, NSW