Rakim @ The Button Factory

in Features, News / by / on May 8, 2011 at 10:30 am /

Rakim @ The Button Factory RakimRakim @ The Button Factory Fri 6th May 2011

I was quite miffed at my current predicament; having a spare FREE ticket to see one of the pioneers of Hip-Hop and being completely unable to shift it. Eventually I relented and arrived a lonely figure for Rakim at the Button Factory.

Once of the hip-hop double act Eric B. & Rakim (with Eric B providing the DJ skills), he is quite highly regarded as an instigator in the surge of popularity with Hip Hop in the 80’s, mentioned alongside names from Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash to Run DMC and Public Enemy. When reminiscing about Eric B. & Rakim one will always have images of break dancing and Graffiti-soaked original hip hop beats.

The most tantalizing aspect of this show was that Rakim would be performing his debut album (with Eric B) Paid In Full, boasting such hits as the title track itself, My Melody and I Know You Got Soul, cornerstones of Rap and impacting on the innovation of hip hop which continues to develop to this day.

Yes, I was a fan. Regardless of being on my tobler I was fully committed to rapping along to the lyrics Rakim planned to spit out. But my night did not start off in the greatest of fashions, as I had not been in the venue for more than 5 minutes when I accidentally punched a girl in the chest (ahem) while taking off my cardigan. Queue profuse apologizing and extreme embarrassment as the woman continued to wave the issue off as an accident, all the while clutching her injured area(s). Bad start. It was 8pm and I grabbed a beer in preparation for the coming support act.

Waiting.

Still Waiting.

Two cigarette breaks and two beers later DJ Mek emerged from back stage and began mixing some old school rap. For what it’s worth, he was scratch-tastic, but I had to wonder if this guy was a booked support act or just filler. He played solo for 30 minutes until 9:30 when the now jam packed crowd expected the man of the hour to emerge from the depths of the velvet curtain, ready to raise the proverbial roof. Instead, Irish famed MC Ri-Ra emerged for a support slot. To the guy’s credit, he was full of energy, not to mention talent, and did a fine job revving up the place in anticipation for Rakim. Even though I would be far from a fan myself, Ri-Ra does boast some respectable credentials, being considered one of the original Irish B-boys along with the other members of Scary Eire working with the likes of U2, James Lavelle and sports a fan base consisting of Sinead O’Connor, Damien Dempsey and Shane McGowan. Well in.

Ri-Ra only played for about 20 minutes or so, leading to more speculation that Rakim would grace the stage at the 10pm mark. As that benchmark came and went, with road crew aimlessly attempting to look busy on stage, murmurs began to circulate the crowd about Rakim’s whereabouts. My own patience was wearing thin, as I had not planned on staying in this venue all night and expected, based on the time the doors opened at, that the gig would be well and truly over by 11pm. The big rumor that reached me was that certain members of the crowd had witnessed these antics once before from Rakim a few months prior, with the star keeping his fans waiting for an approximate three hours. After contact with GP, a joint decision was made that if, by 10:30pm Rakim had not showed, I would walk. That is precisely what happened.

Thanks to my high quality research and investigatory skills I can give you a breakdown of what happened following my exit; The crowd were left waiting for a further forty minutes before Rakim finally graced the stage with his presence at around 11, playing three songs before a supposed technical fault (apparently a full power outtage) with the PA system deserved a hissy fit from the hip hop icon to the point of throwing the microphone and storming off stage (according to some tweets), waiting another ten or so minutes before returning to complete his set finishing with a acapella version of ‘Follow The Leader’.

Call me particular, call me spiteful, but I feel justified in my early exit. As much as I detest the antics of a certain Guns N Roses frontman last year, pardon me Rakim for being so blunt but Axel Rose YOU ARE NOT. There could be one hundred different reasons or excuses that could be given for his actions on Friday night, laying blame to technical issues, late arrival, timeslot discrepancies and more. You can also call me skeptical, but after hearing the rumors about his previous shows on the tour, there was only one reason I could settle on as the cause of such tardiness; Rakim was a Diva.

I am sure there will be many people telling me that after all the above problems the show was great, but as I consider myself a fan I felt totally let down by the lack of professionalism, which The Venue or Choice Cuts should not take full responsibility for. Rakim’s estimation in my eyes has plummeted, never to return.

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  • Fresh Prince of Kildare

    What a plonker. Did he play Galway during the week? Wonder how that went.

  • Dave Quinn

    tried finding a review of the galway gig online but no dice, would love to know how that turned out. If anyone finds a review of the Roisin Dubh gig on AMy 3rd post a link please!

    Also, I still love Paid In Full as an album, but I might shelf it for a while out of spite.

  • http://davequinnarticles.blogspot.ie/ Dave Quinn

    Sorry, bloody Iphone! I meant the gig on MAY 3rd!

  • http://twitter.com/DatTormeyFela Oisin Tormey

    Wow thats a disaster, its a great album shame he comes across as a complete bellend in real life.

  • Stephen Rutledge

    You’ve got that somewhat wrong man. DJ Tec came on at 10:33. I’ve pictures on my phone of him setting up and they’re timestampped. He played solo for about 15 mins and was brilliant.

    Rak was on around 10:45-10-50. I have a picture at 10:52 and I don’t think I took the phone out straight away.

    And it wasn’t a supposed technical fault, everything went. The lights went out, mic went off, the projector behind the stage went off. Everything but a few small lights on the roof. When he came back out he explained that a fuse had blown or something. I don’t remember him throwing the mic either, and I was just behind the front row. He just walked off stage, but what should he have done? Stood there in the dark? It def wasn’t 20 mins either, or that was the fastest 20 mins ever. After that the gig was brilliant. He played to around midnight. Well worth the 23euro.

  • Ciarancrotty2008

    I was at this gig, it was a great night. Maybe I have this wrong but you say in your article you were not there. You left before the man came on stage. How do you write a review of a gig you didn’t witness? Bloggers, jaysus.

  • realfan

    caught that show. he was billed to go on at 2230 and came out at 1045 after his dj had warmed up the crowd for 15 minutes. after the entire buildings power went out TWICE (a bad look for dublin venues) he still performed, brilliantly, for another hour. funny how an “experienced” music blogger was, by your own admission, the only one in the city who showed up for a show who’s doors opened at 8 and expected the final act onstage immediately. next time you should maybe book the artists to come and perform in your kitchen at the time they desire. you wouldn’t have to even put on your poncy cardigan or be put off by Friday night entertainment that goes on past 11pm.

  • http://twitter.com/dionsis Aidan Goldenplec

    Actually realfan – He consulted the Choice Cuts website which did not have a stage time for Rakim, therefore with doors at 7.30 (like most normal gigs) arriving at 8pm (expecting a support act as state) you would expect Rakim at 9pm maybe 9.30pm.

    David is an experienced member of the team, checked with myself and I checked all Press releases and website to confirm and no late start could be confirmed.

    Though you may have had nothing for the rest of the evening, some of us don’t have all night to wait for something to happen. I would expect anything with doors at 7.30 to have main act at 9-9.30 as per every other show in Dublin. He asked staff, asked others, nobody knew any extra information and for that reason I would have walked with the same information. If there was power outtages there can still inform staff so when people ask that they are not meeted with shrugging shoulders.

    Might I ask where you got your “billing for 22:30″ from…

  • Mick Feehan

    This is the worst review ever, was this your first hip hop gig ever? MF Doom left people waiting over an hour, I don’t think Raekwon left people waiting but 9 times out of 10 they will not come on stage on time, especially if there’s a ‘night’ on in the same venue after the show. Rakim didn’t leave people waiting too long.

    “some of us don’t have all night to wait for something to happen” – then don’t go to review the gig if you have something else on or it’s past your bedtime, it wasn’t like he was going to be a no show and it’s Rakim for gods sake!!!

    This was the best hip-hop show in Dublin since Gangstarr in The Redbox in 2003.(even with the powercut, which lasted barely enough time for a ciggy out the front). I actually made a point when telling people about the powercut that he didn’t have a hissy fit, which A LOT of other acts probably would have. And when the power came back on(after one of the bouncers getting a bollocking off the manager)he kept the crowd going as if nothing had happened. It was listening to the Paid In Full album live, the voice, the flow, right in front of you. Everything was Rakim, such smooth style was unbelieveable to see live.

  • http://twitter.com/dionsis Aidan Goldenplec

    I didn’t go to the gig, the reviewer went to the gig, I’m saying I understand why he was pissed off and left. I don’t care if it’s Rakim or God himself, I wouldn’t be made to wait this length of time for a show. I’ve been to hundreds of gigs and had any of my favourite acts had standard doors and no mention of expected late stage time I’d have been extremely pissed off. I’m there to be entertained not left waiting in absolute boredom.

    Rakim’s 11pm showing would have been fine for the reviewer had he had ANY idea when he would be on. Indeed is 10:50 had been stated prior he would have attended at a later time. There was no information from staff, nobody around whom he asked knew and thus he left. Communication is a basic common decency, there was none and as such Rakim got as much attention from the reviewer as he had earned. 0%.

  • Mick Feehan

    I guess I’ve stopped going to these gigs early as it seems to be the expected thing that they’re always going to be late. It sucks, and is also accepted by whoever is putting the show on, but I don’t think a review should be written on something that’s reported second hand.

  • http://twitter.com/dionsis Aidan Goldenplec

    Well it’s not really a review, he’s not criticised Rakims performance, In fact he was extremely disappointed not to see the show but had plans for midnight that he had to make to not let someone else down and it was a reasonable enough expectation to get out of the venue before 11.30 when doors are at 7.30

    It comes down to communication really, that’s the biggest problem here. Having spoke to David after he reckoned the show was going to be magnificent and was disgusted he wouldn’t catch it if it went ahead and talking to people online I can garner it was extremely well recieved. I image a large percentage were fine with the late gig but I don’t imagine David was alone in looking at his watching and thinking, “I hope this starts soon cause I’ve placed to be in a while”. For him it was only a bit of a waste of 3 hours but for a punter it could have been a waste of money. Good thing it was a Friday or the venue could have been empty. Imagine the dillema of some if there was no Nitelinks that night.

    It’s a tough call when you don’t live close to the city, another 40 euro on a taxi home or waste the cost of a ticket and leave for a bus. This time Nitelinks were there, but will every promoter be so lucky

  • Dave Quinn

    Firstly, I am shocked that one mans opinion sparked such feedback, albeit mostly negative, but the more hits the better so thanks!

    Secondly, Thanks Aidan for clarifying my intended view on the gig, these comments may have merit but in all cases they are failing to realise the two main points of the story. My clear admittance that my choice to leave may have been hasty, and that the account of what happened afterward was based on feedback I recieved from attendees who stayed seems to have been forgotten. Not once have I claimed that the description of the gig post-me was gospel, and I am simply clarifying that the main issue was the serious delay with no communication.

    If the gig closed in the fashion you say it did Feehan, I am truly gutted, but I (along with many, many others) did not have the time or patience to stand around for 3 hours waiting for a gig. Maybe it is acceptable for you to arrive late at such gigs, but reviewers do not have such a luxury.

    Glad you enjoyed the gig.

  • Donal

    Reviewers may not have the luxury of staying around a gig until the performer they review actually comes on stage, but music lovers do. This article is a disgrace, keep up the good work!

  • Karl Jones

    Yawn Donal seriously, he waited around 3 hours and got nothing. It wasn’t billed a late gig and he has said he would  have only loved to review the gig but unfortunately when a gig isn’t billed late and people have OTHER PLANS then sticking around that length of time is an unreasonable assumption by the artist. I doubt he was alone in leaving.

    This merely was an article explaining such. It’s informative more than anything else and how you can describe it as a disgrace is nothing short of petty. Staying around has nothing to do with loving music, that’s a snobbish comment because as a fan of the artist he WANTED to see the show. The only disgrace here is you for looking down your nose at a guy who went to see one of his favourite acts. Made plans quite reasonably to be somewhere at midnight and had to leave before the artist even took to the stage. I suppose music lovers are supposed to take every piece of disrespect and bullshit that artist throw as acceptable purely because they make music. Ask me arse, in this case Rakim did not get reviewed which was about as much as he deserved.

  • http://twitter.com/colmhewson Colm Hewson

    Keeping the crowd waiting for your act is just a cheap shot at building anticipation, especially in Dublin. Sure other artists and groups do it, but that doesn’t make the practice acceptable.

    Let the music speak for itself and impress people. It isn’t “cool” to take your audience/consumers for granted. It’s bad form from 2 of the following, Rakim, his management, the promoters, or the venue. In the nicest situation the venues power went but still Rakim’s management or the promoters should have been there to catch this; Informing people of that he’d be late on etc.

    The promoters gave press accreditation to Dave and he was there, ready and willing to be impressed by the night. It didn’t produce. The review reflects that.