REVIEW: TINCHY STRYDER AT BRISTOL O2 ACADEMY (05/10/09)
Fresh from saying “mofo” to the MOBOs in Glasgow, after walking away without an award for the third year running, Tinchy has bounced back in fine style with a set that left this Bristol crowd baying for more.
The Catholic schoolboy from Newham, East London done well! Picking up on his Ghanian influences and the cultural music mecca that is urban London, he has created his own distinctive grime sound. He takes his stage name from an old Mega Drive game and he is definitely now in the Xbox 360 league after back-to-back top ten hits. It was the aptly titled “Number 1” that that brought him mass attention topping the singles chart earlier this year, and this is where the O2 crowd could really differentiate between the true Tinchy and the heavily produced Stryder, aided and abetted by N-Dubz. It’s good to report that Tinchy can hold his own without his musical muse and it was a highlight track for his fans.
The Stryder is about to release the fifth single from his album ‘You’re Not Alone’ and it was pleasing to hear its rolling beats and sharp vocals fill the packed venue. He also used the gig to shoot some of his music video for the single so those members of the crowd who looked especially fanatical may find themselves appearing alongside one of hip-hops biggest names in his new vid.
The gig was mostly dominated by work from his second more popular album ‘Catch 22’ which is a shame as his first album, made while he was still a student at the University of East London, contains some of his more edgier material.
‘You’ll Never Leave Me’ formed a fitting end to the night, and given the crowd’s booming reception they’d rather Tinchy had stayed on for another set, and never did leave. His next gig was to be a rather strange holographic appearance at the Sheffield Meadowhall Centre, but don’t worry, going on this performance Tinchy Stryder is fully 3D and alive and kicking.
Words: John Barker
