Jack Rabbit Slims welcomed Atlanta’s alternative R&B diva ABRA for her first performance in Australia, along with support acts from the Thank Guard Magazine fam, and rising Sydney hip-hop artist MANU CROOK$.

Crooks brought the heat early with a powerful set, showcasing his trap-inspired beats and smooth, original flow. He’s one of the faces in the new wave of Australian hip hop breaking away from the at times cringeworthy hip hop associated with Australia. Indeed, you’d be easily forgiven for thinking he’d come with ABRA from Atlanta.

He was followed by local squad Tuffboys. Imagine Lil Yachty, but instead, as a mob of amped up young dudes from Perth. Throw in some gun noises and you’ve got Tuffboys. It’s early days for them, but with a fast-growing fan base in the underground Perth hip hop scene, they’re certainly a group to keep an eye on.

It was then time for the darkwave duchess or herself to take centre stage for her first performance on Australian soil. Despite sound issues throughout the show and jumping into the crowd only to be maybe-kinda-not-really-properly caught by the crowd, ABRA was admirable in showcasing her experimental 80s inspired beats with an ominous touch.

She brought fantastic energy and a cute but sassy vibe throughout her performance. Unfortunately the sound issues meant she couldn’t really hear herself properly. She continually requested for her vocals to be louder, and her voice was off noticeably out of tune.  

But her positive attitude shone through, finishing her performance by declaring that due to the sound issues she was going to compensate by staying at the merchandise tent for the rest of the night to meet, greet and sign autographs!

It proved to be a great night, providing some intriguing insight into the underground Perth hip hop scene. It's just a shame that ABRA's performance was compromised due to the mixing issues as a result of the technical difficulties her team was contending with.