Arrested Development / HeaveN Beatbox

Formed as a ray of sunshine against gangster rap flooding the airwaves at the time, Arrested Development (named well before the popular TV show, which led to a court case) are a band that project sunshine out to a crowd. Following an amazing set at last year's Beautiful Days the band are back for an eight date tour of the UK. This is the second night and I'm ashamed to say it is looking very quiet, but those in attendance are well up for some bright and meaningful hip hop. And to dance…

HeaveN Beatbox is doing a Rahzel and layering sounds to create the beat and the melody of a song at the same time with only his mouth. He then shows us his layering using a loop station and creates all the parts, again with only his mouth and this loop pedal, to perform Dr Dre/Eminem's 'Forgot About Dre'. He also uses two microphones to beatbox with his throat. This is his fist time in the UK; let's hope he visits again soon because the guys got a broad range of talent!

Twenty years ago main man Speech formed a band with Headliner, and Arrested Development was born. Their lyrics opened the world's eyes to homelessness with 'Mr Wendal', whilst putting their money where their mouth was and donating half the royalties to the National Coalition of the Homeless. It's this friendly and approachable persona that shines on stage, as bright as the decorated microphone stands and huge flags, and of course dancer/singer Fareedah Aleem's leggings!

The back line is solid with drummer Rasa Don, guitarist JJ Boogie and bassist Za, with 1Love on the turntables. The front line features incredible vocals from Tasha, boundless energy from Fareedah and of course the recognisable rhyming from Speech. The whole set is full of smiles and brightness, you get sucked in and before you know it you're raising your hands and dancing about. In fact there is not one person in this mixed crowd of kids and the middle aged who are not dancing throughout the set. The latter could probably answer yes to Speech's question “who has any of our stuff on cassette?”

Performing songs from their 20 year career, it's the nineties tracks that get the best reception, although once they start playing it is indeed no stop joy from the crowd to the band, because it is the same in reverse. 'Give a Man a Fish' is a catchy track, as is 'Revolution'. 'Dawn Of The Dreads' is apt for the amount of knotty pups on stage (gutted as mine have just been cut off). 'Fishin' 4 Religion', 'Ease My Mind', 'Bloody', samples of Kriss Kross' 'Jump' and the hit 'Tennessee' are all in there, as of course is an early airing of the awesome 'Mr Wendal' (which I did have on cassette) and the later addition of the one they are most famous for, 'People Everyday', for which Speech cannot work the turntables as 1Love has been rapping, much to everyone's amusement. The bands ask the lighting crew to lower the lights right down, for the crowd to feel the music, and then bang them back on when the crowd are at the right point. With sing alongs from everyone in attendance, whether asked to or not by the band, the time is right throughout this gig. Such a shame there wasn't more people there, but those that were I can honestly say all loved it.