Rating: NNNNN
Hilltop Hoods
at the Annex Wreckroom (794 Bathurst, 2nd floor), Friday (March 7), 10 pm.
Who: Aussie-born and -bred hiphop trio Hilltop Hoods features MCs Suffa, Pressure and DJ Debris, whose gritty and raw flow is unmistakably Down Under, with influences like B.I.G. and triphop.
Why: Back on their home turf, these guys are huge and have accomplished more in Oz than most Canadian acts could dream of here, from playing massive festivals like Big Day Out and Splendour In The Grass to releasing five records and two DVDs and scooping up a bunch of awards. They’ve been playing together for more than 16 years, and their natural chemistry and passion are impossible to overlook.
Buzz factor: Medium (though it should be higher). They’ll have to accept that no one here except a few Oz expats and hiphop aficionados knows much about them. Hilltop Hoods, with plenty to prove on this side of the planet, should put on a high-energy show full of groove-heavy and dark, slinky beats laced with strings.
