Five Things We Learnt During Antwon's Melbourne Show

The loveable Californian rapper Antwon blessed Australia and New Zealand with a tour that was filled to the brim with hardcore raps and out of left field beats. We were fortunate enough to catch him in the act down at his Melbourne show and we learnt a few interesting things at the Antwon show.

1. Be intense.

Right out of the gate Antwon made his presence known by absolutely blasting the front of house to the max and rapping rapid fire into the mic. The sheer intensity of his rapping could be easily seen from the front row as he'd pelt out lyrics to his booming instrumentals while staring angrily into the crowd.

There's something special about how the show got going at full speed so fast and how, even songs that don't give off the impression of intensity when listened to at home become absolute bangers in the hands of a performer like Antwon.

2. Just keep going

Antwon can not only rap heavy but he's got stamina. At live shows, bands often take a break between songs to set up, say something and maybe just to give everyone a breather, but not Antwon. 

Chains of songs would be mixed together rather than stopping and starting, leaving little, if any, time for the crowd to catch their collective breath. You could tell from the sweat dripping off Antwon onto the crowd that he gives his shows as much as he can, making sure his performance was running at full speed for most of the show. It's a wonder that Antwon managed to keep his energy up for the whole set while giving the performance that he did.

3. Surprise people with some classics

Imagine you're in the crowd of Antwon, he's just finished the non-stop intense and loud first quarter of his set, when suddenly the music stops and Antwon stares blankly into the crowd. It hasn't been this quiet since he started his set. Suddenly the microphone slowly raises to his mouth and he sings "MY ONE..." A pause of confusion comes over the crowd until he adds "DESIRE..." Suddenly people catch on to the surprising fact that Antwon is actually singing The Backstreet Boys song, "I Want It That Way" in the middle of his set. The crowd sang along like it was karaoke night or a chant at a football game, and before Antwon returned to business as usual, he pointed to some random people and said, "I love you" to them. Only then did he proceed with the set.

4. Show off your moves

In addition to the small karaoke intermission, multiple times during his set he'd mix in 90's RnB tracks which he'd use as an excuse to tear up the stage with his fantastic dance moves. As a rapper who is know to rap about explicit content, it was hilarious and surprising to see him quickly change to start dancing to some TLC or singing Backstreet Boys in the middle of his set, then back to his hard out original tracks. You can't help but smile ear to ear.

5. Protect your neck

As the hype came to the peak of its crescendo, things got a bit out of hand. It started off with a simple push which then evolved into a mosh which then escalated even more, and by the end of the show people were stage diving - even though most of the front row had already toppled over. The jumping off the stage did not stop after Antwon left the stage and was still going strong as I left the venue 10 minutes after.

Keep in mind that when it comes to artists who specialise in music that has a intense and brutal appeal to crowds, it will get rough. Getting squashed and pushed is part of the show, but if it gets real rough always remember to protect your neck.

Words by Aiden Benavides

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