On the surface this sounds too good to be true.  Black Star are back and performing together in London.  The gig takes place at the Kentish Town Forum on Saturday March 29th.  The thought of them performing Definition, Thieves In The Night and Respiration is just too mouth-watering.  Expect raw hip-hop, high energy and a whole lot of waving those hands in the air.

However, as 50% of Blackstar is Mos Def so do not expect this to be one of those gigs that you can get the last train home from.

I remember the first time I saw Mos Def perform; it was Shepherd’s Bush Empire many moons ago.  Hypnotic Brass Ensemble did a firing warm-up job and then there was the wait.  It seemed to go on forever, and ever, and ever… and then some more.  Finally Mos Def bumbled on the stage saying something about being delayed at the airport and all was forgiven.  The next time I saw him, at The Forum a few years later, same again.  I forget the excuse that time but I do not forget the journey home.

It was a Sunday night and I was working at 9am the next day.  Come 11:30pm he was still going so we made the decision to leave early.  Sprinted down to Kentish Town tube station only for the tube staff ot pretty slam the doors shut in our face.  Had to jump on a bus to Camden then wait for a night bus to Euston before sitting on the slow train back home.  Well after 1am and nearly two hours later I finally got in and was pretty much a zombie the next day Monday at work.

Whatever excuse he gives when Black Star rock out on stage over an hour later than the displayed stage time, don’t believe it.  Mos Def just has bad time keeping; fact.  The saving grace is that this one is on a Saturday night; just don’t make any plans for the Sunday and you should be fine.  That said, whenever I have seen Talib he has been the opposite with almost immaculate time keeping so hopefully they’ll start somewhere in between!

Tickets are available form Ticketmaster and are £29.50 (a bit cheaper for early bird if there are an left).  This is quite a lot to be fair, however if they do drop all the classics then the nostalgia value alone should make the gig worthwhile (as mentioned above, do factor in the cost of travelling home outside of public transport hours in your value calculations.  Also, from memory, parking around The Forum is a nightmare so expect a long walk if you drive).

Rob