Plan B at the Prince Bandroom tonight and I’m running on… well nothing really, I’m barely able to keep my body upright after BDO on Sunday and Deftones the night before. But I’m here and genuinely excited about the upcoming show… underneath my jaded gaze I guess.

Fittingly I met a group of British ex-pats downstairs having a few drinks before the show and they were amazed that I even know who Plan B is, let alone that I have his previous album Who Needs Actions When You Got Words. So it shows just how much his stocks have risen since then that he’s now an international superstar and regular Video Hits guest (three times for three different reasons I’ve seen him being interviewed by Dylan Lewis, and I’m rarely awake in time to watch the show).

So anyway, I spot Paris Wells out the front with a pre-gig coffee, probably feeling as brilliant as I am at the time. Paris is a great support choice for Plan B.

Tonight Paris is playing a DJ’d set and it’s a bit flat, perhaps she really is feeling as bad as I am and it’s unfortunately showing/sounding. It’s a shame because I’ve seen her blast a crowd away full a full band and I feel this might have been a missed opportunity to tap Plan B’s fans and get herself a Video Hits spot from it.

Highlights were towards the end of the set with Fuck Your Soul (apparently about rappers ex who didn't like her), Jenny (new video coming out in a few weeks), and Let’s Get It Started (which Plan B asked her to do tonight). I'm certain she'll blow faces off at her upcoming slot at the St Kilda Festival though.

Before Plan B hits the stage he’s brought over a beatboxing collaborator to help kickstart his show. He does a quick, fun mash of tracks like Triple J hit Duck Sauce’s Barbara Streisand and Ginuwine’s Pony and the crowd roar as they recognise each track.

Hitting the stage with chart buster Writings On The Wall, Plan B has set the stage for a big night. Two guitarists strut the stage like the coolest cats in Chicago, bass and keys players remain stoic but ever-present, while the soulful back-up vocalists sway the groove. All look extremely dapper and hip in their faux-50s get-up.

All this but Plan B seems a bit stiff, concentrating on his vocal delivery that doesn’t come as natural as his rap jive. But only a hipster critic like me would notice this, and as the set progresses he becomes more comfortable and the crowd swoons as he rolls out his slew of hits with The Recluse, Love Goes Down, She Said, Stay Too Long and Prayin’.

After s short stint of stage the full band returns for a bit of karaoke time as they play a mash of Mo Town classics from Lean On Me and My Girl, to Stand By Me and Ain’t No Sunshine where with the latter two the beatboxer returns to lay a remix to the tracks.

To add to his already highly regarded reputation, Plan B shows support for countryman James Blake with a rendition of one of his lesser known tracks before erupting into Seal’s Kiss From A Rose to a riotous crowd. The band responds with everyone starting up a grunge-like moshpit as bodies fly and collapse all over the stage, sans guitar defecation.

All in all a top class show by a man at the top of his game.

-jon

Published at TheDwarf.com.au

After a huge Big Day Out (partying Andrew WK-style in the searing heat) I’m backing up with the Deftones sideshow. Plenty of sugar needed in my drinks tonight.

Opening acts tonight are Ministry of Sound toy boys The Only and human beat machine Reggie Watts. It’s a funny line up and not one I’d have picked given the deep pool of talent amongst Melbourne’s heavy rock scenes.

Anyway, I missed most of The Only and so did most others based on the thin crowd early. Pity because from what I saw the right crowd could really get a rave on to these guys.

Reggie Watts is much the same (in the under-appreciated stakes) and although I applaud his live show, it isn’t setting the right vibe for me. I must make note that his beatbox/electronic looping work is something to behold. Get on that next time he’s in town.

Shit venue policy creates a line upstairs to the tiny smokers balcony, and everyone goes for a last few drags before Deftones hit the stage.

And boy does the stage get hit. Vocalist Chino Moreno bursts onto stage behind the rest of the band tearing about like a multi-ball bonus on a pinball machine. The Sasquatch that is Stephen Carpenter shreds like a monster stage left. Bassist Sergio Vega struts all over the right and screeches like a banshee. And it’s all kept together with Abe Cunningham riding the crash cymbals and pounding harder than a porno. They were also joined by an unknown sampler on some tracks adding effects as required.

Shortly into the set and the band break into my favourite album with Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away, My Own Summer (Shove It), Mascara and title track Around The Fur. I reckon Chino must have worn out his Chuck Taylor's over the course of this set the way he tore himself from wall to wall across the stage (which includes a platform at the front for him to prowl over his fold back).

Chino serenades his crowd to Knife Party and they go as close to a ballad as Deftones can with Minerva and later Change (In The House Of Flies).

Some shit bloke holds a camera in front of my face to make crap amateur clip for him to whack off to at home. Keep your voyeuristic fetishes at home people, don’t rip off the band and steal space on our stomping floors. But enough gripe.

The only ting shared between the band and crowd so far has been music, riotous applause, an experience and some bodily fluids but Chino takes a few seconds to take note of the leveled venue (they are a “5 level band now”), chugs a beer and gets on with it with a short beatbox skit with the drummer.

They close with a Diamond Eyes followed by a prolonged feedback session from Carpenter before erupting back on stage, or into the crowd for Chino to give a last hurrah before calling it a night. I always love a strong finish without the lame encore wait. Tomorrow I’ll have a sore neck to add to my dehydration and overall exhaustion.

-jon

Published at TheDwarf.com.au