B. DOLAN | LIVE REVIEW
The Globe, Cardiff, Tue 22 Sept
B. Dolan doesn’t do things lightly. His new album, Kill The Wolf, was five years in the making and his live show reflected this. It was a tightly crafted affair, full of spoken word and theatre.
Dolan emerged in camo trousers, an army jacket, and black sunglasses. His DJ, Buddy Peace (who opened with an incredibly creative set that blended rap hits with funk and rock) was decked out in the same gear. They immediately dropped Kill The Wolf opener, Lazarus; a slow builder that launched from melodic spoken word into spitting over a heavy breakbeat.
This was an indication of the set to come as Dolan moved between styles seamlessly, both in delivery and production. Jailbreak referenced AC/DC as Dolan played the rock frontman; Joan of Arcadia was eerily mashed up with Johnny Cash’s God’s Gonna Cut You Down, and Which Side Are You On used the 1931 folk song of the same name to tackle homophobia in rap. Difficult topics like this were covered throughout. The N.W.A. sampling Film The Police is still extremely relevant and The Devil Is Alive discussed Iran Contra and Rick Ross in extensive detail.
The Devil Is Alive’s spoken word conclusion was electric, and, by Dolan’s own admission, spoken word gets the best reaction. This is opitimised by Who Killed Russel Jones, the show-stopping tribute to ODB, which saw Dolan act out the tragic tale on stage and appear equal parts Shakespearean actor and rapper.
The effortless mix of styles makes Dolan unique, but it may be hindering his crossover appeal; especially when you consider what Run The Jewels have done with rawer but similarly independent, conscious rap. Dolan undoubtedly deserves similar success, but he appeared to love every minute of the performance and didn’t seem concerned about anything other than his craft.
words and photos THOMAS GANE