Spank Rock

Beastie Boys, Spank Rock at London Brixton Academy, Tue 04 Sep

Review by Ben Patashnik

Without even trying to, the Beastie Boys have managed to make a Tuesday night in South London into a seismic event...»

Brixton Academy

Capacity: 4,272, to be precise

Nearest tube: Brixton

It is rather large and has a nice sloping floor, making it easier for the vertically-challenged gig-goers to see the bands. There is a seating area too. Decent sound. One of the best big venues in the UK.

Pre-gig entertainment can be found in the form of the crap, young skateboarders in the skateboard/BMX park round the back of the venue.

Post-gig entertainment can be found watching the Hell's Angels chase away the t-shirt bootleggers.

- Adie Nunn

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Spank Rock

In their own words, "American kids ripping off European kids ripping off American hip hop."

Self-depricating tones for a group that with 2006's YoYoYoYoYoYo - there's no set guideline for the number of "yo"s - released an album that managed to meld electronica, chip music and good ol' slabs of sexually charged Baltimore hip hop without stinking of "crossover" and alienating each genre's purists.

Special, really special.

Spank Rock Official Site
Spank Rock on Myspace
Big Dada Recordings
»

Beastie Boys

Three MCs, and sometimes one DJ:

Mike D (Michael Diamond)
Adrock (Adam Horovitz)
MCA (Adam Yauch)

Plus, when it suits, Mixmaster Mike (Michael Schwartz).

The Beastie Boys originally formed in 1979 under the guise of The Young Aborigines. MCA joined in 1981, and their name changed to what it is today. Horovitz arrived later, and the core trio was born.

Initially a punk band, in 1984 The Beastie Boys released their first hip-hop effort, 'Rock Hard', via Def Jam. They supported Madonna in 1985 and released their debut album, License To Ill in 1986. The rest, as they say, is history.

Album discography:

License To Ill (1986)
Paul's Boutique (1989)
Check You Head (1991)
Ill Communication (1994)
Some Old Bullshit (1994)
The In Sound From The Way Out (1996)
Hello Nasty (1998)
The Sounds Of Science (double-disc compilation) (1999)
To The 5 Boroughs (2004)
Solid Gold Hits (best of) (2005)
The Mix-Up (2007)