Melbourne hip hop icon Illy wrapped up his highly-anticipated Two Degrees 10th anniversary tour with a sold-out show at The Triffid in Brisbane last night – and what a send-off it was. Supported by emerging Perth rapper Brat, it was a big party from the moment the lights went down for an achievement that few local artists in the scene have had the pleasure of celebrating.
But if there’s any record in our catalogue worth the fanfare, it’s this one. Featuring bangers like “Papercuts” and “Catch 22” with masterclass production from longtime collaborator M-Phazes, the only element of the album that hasn’t aged gracefully is the references to the year of release. If anything, it just goes to show how quickly Illy found his stride and how far he has come since.
Brisbane rapper Brat and her DJ kicked things off to an already-packed room just after doors. Her punchy flows over dusty boom bap beats with contemporary programming offered something for old and new heads alike. The self-deprecating lyrics explored dark themes of depression and social injustice, between straight battle rap to lighten the mood. There wasn’t much to chew on for the technical lyricists in the house, but her delivery was strong and matched her confident stage presence.
Brat’s underground style set the tone for the evening and contributed to Illy’s proverbial swear jar with a heavy hand throughout. Sung hooks with haunting melodies offered a welcome dynamic to keep things interesting when the subject matter grew tiresome. Her latest single “Blind” was a highlight and “BXTCH!” proved to be a crowd favourite. Anybody who wasn’t already familiar with the name seemed to leave a fan, ending her half-hour set with a warranted lengthy applause.
A cinematic intro welcomed Illy to the stage with the skill and confidence of a seasoned professional. Accompanied by a guitarist/keyboardist/hypeman and drummer, the band breezed through album opener “Forget It” and “Looks Could Kill” before bringing “Lightshow” forward, which had its live premiere on this tour due to the physical demand on his lung capacity. The drum fills really brought the slick production to life and showed that the candid artist wasn’t afraid to get gloomy early on.
The rapper demonstrated impressive breath control and singing ability with an energetic set that saw the band deliver an animated performance from start to finish. Big singalong “Catch 22” had the room bouncing before he took things back to 2013 with “Youngbloods”. A slip-up saw “Oh My” introduced with an acoustic guitar instead of “Extra Extra”, but the band adapted and didn’t miss a beat. Fan favourite “Cigarettes” was a wholesome full-circle moment as the hit that made him had its final live run.
A poignant speech before “Truce” brought the crowd closer together and proved that Illy isn’t afraid to be vulnerable on stage despite the bravado in his songs. This transitioned seamlessly into “You Say When”, which was dedicated to the late feature artist Marko Penn with a sea of phone lights. The most surprising inclusion was his famous “Ausmusic Medley”, ironically introduced with a triple j diss because they don’t play him anymore. “Swear Jar” wasn’t as catchy as it was when it dropped a decade ago, but the sentiment remains the same.
It seems that “Tightrope” is still one of Illy’s most beloved hits for both fans and the rapper himself – and rightly so. The muted riffs and punchy beat with deft flows and a guest hook encapsulate the sound that he was working towards all along. Album closer “Highway” rang true ten years on given that he has recently become an independent artist again. A shirtless Illy returned for an encore of the title track, one last go of “It Can Wait” and the awaited “Papercuts”, which will likely be the song of his career.
The night ended with Illy getting a group photo of the band with their lighting and sound engineers, as well as support Brat, to capture the moment forever. This is a man who understands that he could never have gotten to where he is now without the help of his crew and the fans. How lucky we are to be invited along for the ride of such a rare breed in an unforgiving industry.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Header image credit: Dylan Oxley
