The Optimen
The Step Inn, Brisbane
Friday 28 May 2010

We've had fair warning that this is an album launch, sure, but I doubt I'm the only one surprised to find that tonight's setlist is comprised almost entirely of tracks from The Optimen's newly-released second full-length album, The Out Of Money Experience. This isn't necessarily a complaint: were we discussing a less accomplished act, it'd be a different story. Luckily, this Brisbane-based six-piece – comprising DJ Damage, multi-instrumentalist 'The Premier' Peter Beaty, keyboardist Greg 'Mint Slice' Arnott and MCs Sammsonite, DATS and Kristoff – have just released a rather excellent record. They're clearly fond of it, and want to share it with the hundreds who've gathered to celebrate its release. Fair enough.


So we're privy to nigh on every song that appears on The Out Of Money Experience; the only cut from their debut album Boomtown is a minor reprise of the chorus from 'Where The Fuck You At?' tacked onto the beat of a newer track. During the encore, they opt for 'O Dot P Dot' from the 2007 label compilation Red Tape Renegades Vol 1 instead of Boomtown's 'No Mercy', allegedly because DATS can't remember the words to the latter. Drag. Regardless, there's a sweet vibe in the room: The Optimen are one of this city's popular and most respected hip hop crews. It's hard to wish them ill will; after observing the amount of bobbing heads in the room, I get the opinion that they've got a lot of friends among the scene. For mine, the set highlight is Out Of Money Experience closer 'Respecognise', which sees fellow Red Tape labelmates Clinic and Proclaim on guest vocals alongside Kel from The Coalition Crew; with nine peeps on stage, it's crowded up there.

I mentioned in the my review of the album that the three MCs tend to take a whole verse each; on stage, they frequently shuffle and shoulder each other toward the front of the stage when it's their turn for the spotlight. There's a sense of easy camaraderie that runs between these three and their backline: Damage mixes and scratches impassively, Peter Beaty occasionally substitutes MPC duties for guitar and bass, and keyboardist Greg Arnott adds melodic depth to their output. DATS seems the most, er, cheerful of the six on stage: he causes their performance of '30 Rock' to misfire twice by messing with Beaty's set-up, which totally throws out Rainman's guest verse. No matter; on whole, this shit is tight. 

Andrew McMillen