GoldLink is no stranger to his Australian fans. The DMV rapper has made his way down under a handful of times, selling out intimate venues across the country on multiple occasions. However, this time it feels different – he has a swanky hit record and a shiny Grammy Award nomination to boot. His SoundCloud origins are now a distant memory.
Eager punters fill every square centimetre of Sydney’s Enmore Theatre. The sold-out crowd is primed and ready as they turn up to DJ Kidd Marvel‘s pre-show house warmers. The bubble of excitement finally bursts as the go-go-inspired “Hands On Yours Knees” spills out of the speakers, announcing Goldlink’s arrival. “Fall In Love” drops, lifting the energy in the room and spurring the audience to sing along to the mushy, Motown-tinged RnB number. The track flows into “Dark Skin Women”, upping the ante once again, as GoldLink effortlessly delivers his quickfire flow over the rolling percussion and spurts of brass, that lace the cut’s future-bounce production.
We’re now caught in a fully-fledged, high-octane whirlwind as the 24-year-old’s Steve Lacy-collab “Some Girl”, “Rough Soul”, and “Meditation” meld into one another. We try and keep up but GoldLink is miles ahead, gliding through his verses with seasoned ease. Smirking at the crowd at every pause and hook, his genuine pleasure with the mosh pit’s relentless display of energy adds fuel to the fire. It reaches its peak as the sampled vocal of Missy Elliott viciously booms through the sound system, culminating in the track’s ferocious opening verse.
“We partying in this motherfucker tonight, Australia!”, he excitedly acknowledges, injecting another hefty dosage of raw hype into the mosh, as the show races past its halfway point. GoldLink then jumps into “Kokamoe Freestyle”, the indulgent Swindail-produced banger on his latest record.
Following a mid-set party interlude, “We Will Never Die”, “Herside Story”, and “Late Night” provide some reprieve, as the tempo shifts and GoldLink slows the pace right down. The latter track makes for the night’s most magical moment. In Masego‘s absence, the crowd bands together to croon his verse as one. “Especially up ’round two, or three, or four”, the audience gently repeats.
“I appreciate every single person in this motherfucker tonight!”, GoldLink exclaims. “Pray Everyday (Survivor’s Guilt)” follows. The crowd gently bops along right the way through, finding peace in the angelic harmonies that percolate through the second verse. That is until, without warning, the peace is broken as he dives headfirst into “Crew”. The crowd immediately jumps on board and shifts into gear, making light work of Brent Faiyaz‘ slick hooks and Sly Glizzy‘s haymaker feature verse.
“We’re going to do that again”, GoldLink announces at the song’s close, before demanding the pit open up and form a circle. The rapper is interrupted by his DJ and presented a gold plaque for the single, a milestone that has clear significance to the rapper as he leans the frame against the platform and gives his DJ the green light to hit play.
At the song’s close, GoldLink offers up a few tender signs of gratitude before walking off the stage, with no visible intention of returning. “Same Clothes As Yesterday” rings out through the speakers as the sweat-drenched crowd spills out of the Enmore Theatre and onto the inner-city streets.
Photos by Keegan Thomas.