LIVE: Bob Vylan @ Electric Ballroom, Camden 03.12.22

The last time I saw Bob Vylan at Camden’s Electric Ballroom, it was in 2017. Bob and Bobbie were standing in the crowd as fans, waiting to see American punk/rap duo Ho99o9, and Bob was wearing a facemask with snarling dog teeth printed across it. Even in a pre-Covid world, a mask like that stood out. He looked equally as cool as he did intimidating, but – as his fans will know – he was very approachable. We spoke about his recent EP, Vylan, which I’d reviewed for Gigslutz and shared our anticipations for the Ho99o9 gig that night.

Five years later, Bob and Bobbie returned to the same venue, but no longer as spectators. Bob Vylan brought their headline ‘Burn Britannia’ show to a sold out Electric Ballroom, after recently winning a MOBO Award. Not just any MOBO award either, the duo triumphed in the groundbreaking ‘Best Alternative Music Act’ category. “This night is a celebration of us as a band, a celebration of you; it’s a celebration of all of us” Bob enthused early into their set, and what a celebration it was.

Opening with a brief stint of stretching and guided meditation, introduced by a recording of his daughter’s voice, Bob Vylan’s set was a riot from start to finish. Kicking things off with ‘Big Man’ the rapper’s fluid, furious and frenzied emceeing was matched by drummer Bobbie’s blistering beats. They ricocheted around the venue, which was adorned with Union Jack flags graffitied with anti-monarchy slogans. As Bob seethes in ‘Take That’ – “Burn Britannia, kill the Queen, that’s a vibe” – and it was one shared by everyone in the venue; from the moshers sweating in the pit to the keen eyed fans observing from the balcony.

Unfiltered and unchanged from their early days, the band’s lyrical “straight facts” about racism, inequality and social injustice routinely pack the hardest punch. From the pernicious anxieties observed on ‘Northern Line’ and ‘GDP’, to the righteously antagonistic words of ‘I Heard You Want Your Country Back’, ‘We Live Here’ and ‘We Don’t Care (It Ain’t Safe)’, Bob delivered all with an effortless, vehement flair. As a two piece, Bob Vylan’s stage presence is formidable, and something that bands with twice as many members often struggle to emulate. They’re self-sufficient as producers and performers, and whilst they don’t need anyone else to enhance that, the guests they invited to share the stage with them for their London set were warmly received by the crowd.

First up was Strange Bones frontman Bobby Bentham, tenaciously launching himself around the stage alongside Bob as they performed collaborative track ‘Menace’. Guitarist Josh Skints and beat-box pro Killa Kela also joined the band for lively skits too, but when Bob invited Laurie Vincent to the stage for ‘The Delicate Nature’, followed by Isaac Holman for a rendition of ‘One More Day Won’t Hurt’, the crowd fully embraced the unofficial Slaves reunion. It was a joy to witness Isaac launch himself into the crowd mid-song, and to see all of the performers receive huge hugs from the Vylan boys at the end of each track.

Engaging with the crowd is something Bob Vylan are renowned for, and this celebratory London set was no exception. Whether it was drummer Bobbie reminding fans that their second album, Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life, made history by ranking in the Top 20 UK Album Charts upon its release in 2022 – the first independently written, recorded, mixed, produced record to do so – or Bob diving into the mosh to be lovingly crowd-surfed, the love between artist and fan was palpable. This shared understanding was felt deepest during the triumphant ‘Health Is Wealth’, the sardonic and catchy ‘Pretty Songs’, and the raucous finale of ‘Wicked And Bad’, complete with giant spark fountains, confetti, and red and blue balloons being batted around the venue.

From buying tickets to an Electric Ballroom gig, to headlining the venue, Bob Vylan have had an unreal upward trajectory for a vehemently DIY band, but it’s an unsurprising one, considering how talented they are. The sheer will power of these two men, who are dedicated to making a difference in a world that still stereotypes and crushes people of colour on a daily basis, is a potent reminder that questioning authority is essential in all spheres of life. Thank fuck Bob Vylan are here to soundtrack that.