Thursday 19th November
Manchester Academy 2
8.5/10
Krept and Konan made a stop at Manchester Academy 2 for their sold out The Long Way Home Tour to promote their first studio album. The duo managed to expertly pump up the packed crowd, and produced an exhilarating set. The venue was set up as a tube station, as the South London duo arrived at 0161. The concept was innovative and, stylistically, enhanced the gig; it also reflected the rawness of the boys, who are proud of their London roots. There is an ongoing debate surrounding the duo over whether they are hip hop or grime artists (clearly more hip hop), but either way, their performance was incredible.
They kicked off the night with a performance of ‘Last Night’, from their new album, and had the crowd singing along from the start; although, there were a few bemused attendees who didn’t quite know what they had let themselves in for. The energy in the room was infectious from start to finish. Numerous mosh pits broke out, an activity encouraged by the duo, especially during ‘F.W.T.S’.
Everyone left the event on a high thanks to the charismatic nature of Krept and Konan and their insatiable energy levels.
Although the show primarily consisted of songs from their new album, it also featured some of their old school tracks. However, the best reception was for their more recent works. It was no surprise that ‘Freak Of The Week’ and ‘Do It For The Gang’ got the best reactions from the crowd. My favourite song of the night was ‘Falling’, which was a much more chilled affair and reflects the emotion that goes into the duo’s music.
One of the highlights of the night, which made this event such a must to attend, was the special guests. The arrival of Geko, Bugzy Malone and Lethal Bizzle, who entered through the tube doors to ‘Please Mind the Gap’, was phenomenal. Naturally, Bugzy Malone received the best response from the Manchester crowd, being a Manchester boy himself.
Overall, the night was electric and full of high energy. Krept and Konan commanded the stage and definitely had the crowd in the palm of their hands by the end of the night. I would strongly recommend seeing these lads if you get the chance, because they are only going to get more popular in the coming years.
