Review: Xzibit @ Hindley St Music Hall
Fights, cancellations and a 45-minute set. We recap the chaos that engulfed Xzibit’s Adelaide performance.
Words by Tobias Handke
![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6522859ed74b6e6f6d350faf/84add853-bf64-4adf-94d4-1943218a4a99/xzibit-1.png)
Image via @xzibit (Facebook)
Things were off to a shaky start when it was announced just hours before doors opened that two of the three headliners wouldn’t be in attendance at the 3:Twenty Tour at Hindley St Music Hall that evening.
The tour was a celebration of the 20th anniversary of Xzibit’s Man vs. Machine, D12’s D12 World and Obie Trice’s Cheers. Sadly for Adelaide fans, D12 and Obie Trice were last-minute cancellations due to travel issues, so it was up to Xzibit to carry the show.
Although, he wasn’t alone. DJ sets from DJ Ones and DtheFuture and a performance from X’s support act Demrick kept the rowdy crowd in check, but there were a few grumbles from those upset it was only X to the Z who would be performing. The West Coast veteran had a lot to live up to when he finally took the stage a touch after 9pm.
What followed was an energetic set chock full of Xzibit classics showcasing why he is universally loved by the hip-hop community. But his short and admittedly enjoyable time on stage was often overshadowed by crowd antics…
Adelaide rap shows are notorious for a bit of biff and that’s exactly what happened. Several small scuffles broke out throughout the night before things went next level midway through X’s performance.
Addressing a small section of the crowd, Xzibit warned a punter who threw ice at him that if he did it again he would jump into the crowd and “beat the fuck” out of him. Understandable. The fool obliviously didn’t listen as X quickly called on security to remove the man and his friends from the venue. But before security could reach the troublemakers, the crowd dished out their own brand of street justice, with the ice thrower coping a few nasty blows.
The bouncers eventually got involved, escorting two from the venue without incident while being forced to drag the others outside kicking, screaming and looking a little worse for wear. Another altercation shortly after threatened to boil over but calmer heads prevailed and the focus went back to the music, with X doing his best to keep the show from going completely off the rails. Special credit to the security who did a bang-up job quelling the violence before things got out of hand!
As for Xzibit’s set, it was your standard paint-by-numbers hip-hop show. Most songs performed were shortened versions of fan favourites, with X spitting the first verse and chorus before moving on to the next. There was the usual call and response to get fans vocal (“When I say X, you say Xzibit”) along with a smattering of new songs to remind everyone X still makes music.
While my younger self was giddy with nostalgic joy hearing ‘Multiply’, ‘Paparazzi’, ‘Get Your Walk On’ and Xzibit’s verses from Dr Dre’s ‘What’s the Difference’, the show barely lasted 45 minutes. That was pretty disappointing when you consider the ticket prices ($125), the other headliner no shows and the fact Xzibit has close to three decades worth of material — more than enough for a 90-minute show.
Closing with arguably his biggest hit, ‘X’, Xzibit left the stage to cheers from a thankful audience. While there was no chair throwing and X was in a joyous mood all night, the shortness of his set and the reckless violence left a sour taste in this reviewer’s mouth.
Not that anybody else seemed to care… The majority of the crowd left unconcerned with the off-stage antics and more than happy to share 45 minutes with one of their hip-hop heroes.
On a bitterly cold and miserable Monday night, the Dirty Three delivered a hellraising three-and-a-half-hour musical sermon that shook Adelaide from its winter’s funk. Three decades into their celebrated career, the trio reaffirmed their status as Australia’s greatest live band, still operating at the peak of their boisterous powers.
Fights, cancellations and a 45-minute set. We recap the chaos that was Xzibit’s Adelaide performance.
Our 2625-day wait for this Bring Me The Horizon performance was worth it.
"We’re just Orange Goblin and we do whatever we think sounds good.”
Gladys Knight left the Adelaide crowd breathless as she performed all her biggest hits during her final Australian tour.
From the bone-crushing aggression of ‘Mouth For War’ to the haunting beauty of ‘I’m Broken’, each song was delivered with unwavering aggression and passion.
Scottish post-punk rockers melted faces with their intricate wall of sound on a balmy summer evening.
Performing tracks from their classic album Feast of Wine, Calexico dazzled a packed crowd at The Gov.
After a six-year absence, Queens of the Stone Age made a triumphant return to Adelaide with one hell of a rock show.
In the cold black heart of Adelaide, corpse-painted masses gathered at Lion Arts Factory for a night of macabre melodies and haunting harmonies with Wednesday 13.
A whirlwind rodeo of classic Americana, country balladeering, starched collared shirts and good time boogie.
This became one of those shows that will live on in memories for lifetimes.
Melbourne’s Sidney Meyer Music Bowl ushered in the new year with a stellar lineup. Featuring Foals and Flume as big standouts, we’re giving you a taster of what to expect for Heaps Good Adelaide.
One of the 20th century’s most influential groups gave Adelaide a (probable) farewell concert to remember.
‘Agony Of Defeat’ transformed the event from a metal show, to a thrilling theatrical exhibition.
In an epic three-hour showcase on Saturday night, Foo Fighters reminded Adelaide why the band reigns supreme as one of the world's premier stadium rock acts.
The best and worst of Anton Newcombe and his not-so-merry band of psychedelic rockers was on display at the Governor Hindmarsh, as The Brian Jonestown Massacre delivered a rambling experience that was as frustrating as it was electrifying.
A capacity crowd at Her Majesty’s Theatre for The Milk Carton Kids is treated to a rather bizarre greeting of the Grammy-nominated duo when Joey Ryan, one half of the headline act, walks onto the stage, approaches the only microphone present and introduces the show. Sort of. What follows is a five-minute comedy routine that acts as an ‘icebreaker’.
The city’s music diversity was on full display on Friday May 26, as dozens headed to Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute on a colder-than-usual Friday evening to celebrate the launch of Division’s debut EP, ‘Fragments’.
Across two days, punters filled Tomich Wines for a vino-fuelled party with some of Australia’s hottest acts. Despite the autumn Adelaide Hills air feeling extra-chilly, the dance floor could be counted on to heat things up.
The Music Writer’s Lab is a place for new writers to hone their skills. It’s an initiative of MUSICSA and MUSICNT and supported by the Government of South Australia and Australia Council for the Arts. The Note invited three music lab writers to contribute reviews of our favourite world music event...
On the Periodic Table the number of metalloids is seven and the number of metals is 93. Should we discuss how many types of musical metal exist?
A touch over 30 years since their first album Slanted and Enchanted became one of the most influential debuts of the ‘90s, Pavement’s return to Thebarton Theatre was a joyful reminder why they remain the standard bearer of American indie.
You need three things to run a successful festival: good music, good punters, and good weather. The latest star in SA’s music calendar nailed all the key ingredients.