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Vid Warren and Pippa Tennant at Upstairs At The Ritzy, Brixton

An eclectic mix of beatboxing, music, vocals, and a few tricks up Vid Warren’s sleeve

Words: David Barros

Photos: Alex Christofides (Catch 22)

Upstairs at the Ritzy in Brixton was the venue for Vid Warren's night of entertainment. Looking reserved but confident on stage, he looked like he was playing to a band of outlaws, but Brixton's upmarket locals enjoying their Friday night accepted the unique one-man-beatbox-band.

Vid Warren, photo by Alex Christofides If there was a Royal Variety act for Prince Harry, Vid Warren would be a choice act: dressed in his smarts he looks like an Etonian schoolboy who was edgy enough to practise beatboxing instead of practising his piano recital. Vid Warren is every bit a modern jester fit for a king.

Vid's image is all part of his appeal: he's cool being a beatboxer, he looks the part in a suit, and a higher brow audience can relate to it. When he started his beatboxing performance it was like the audience asked "then why is there a piano on stage?" until he drops the word "remix" into his beatboxing almost ironically as an audience icebreaker.

A late start saw him walk on stage unannounced and start hitting out a high hat rhythm to the unsuspecting audience. His performance began with solo beatboxing to warm the audience up to his music before moving on to the keyboard where he played classical Beethoven and smooth jazz before dropping the beat.

Spitting over classical piano, Vid slowed down the tempo of his beatboxing during the intricate parts of melodies. The way he does this is a show of immense skill, being able to concentrate on his handiwork as he keeps the rhythm consistent.

Vid isn't a one trick pony though. His piano playing was impressive, but he's also capable of playing several other instruments. On stage was his suitcase, holding his other props. Asking the audience "who wants to see what else is in my suitcase?" he sneaked something into his pocket and continued with another beatboxing set before he pulled a harmonica from his blazer to beatbox into.

The audience looked impressed by this, and watching people that were watching beatboxing for the first time took me back to the first time I saw it myself.

Pip Tennant, with whom Vid shared the evening's bill joined him for the last part of his first set, fusing her acapella lyrics with his beatboxing.

Vid Warren and Pip Tennant, photo by Alex Christofides

Pip Tennant's songs were moving, folksy songs straight from the heart, and her voice has slight rough edge giving them more emotion. Dragonfly Kings, about the pilot of an Apache helicopter was particularly touching: what goes through the mind of the pilot when he takes the life of a five year old for the sake of the a war? Even songs dedicated to ex-boyfriends are woven into the fabric of her material. Charlotte Farmer, a friend of Pip, joined the backing vocals for the last track before the show broke for interval.

To listen to a selection of Pip Tennant's songs, click over to her MySpace page in the 'related links,' at the top of the page.

Vid resumed the show with audience participation, getting one side of the room to do one half of the beat, and the other the percussion. It was uncomfortable watching a middle-class audience try and beatbox, but a respectable act of showmanship.

The best acts were saved until the end. A wooden recorder came out of the suitcase before a machine gun spray of notes mixed with beatboxing amazed the audience, and even this reviewer - Vid's speed is incredible.

Vid Warren juggling, photo by Alex Christofides As though the recorder wasn't enough, the closing act, the ultimate icing on the cake, was juggling while beatboxing - the equivalent to rubbing your stomach and patting head, only with juggling balls. As I said before, he's every bit the modern jester. The same principles were used as when he was playing the piano, minus a physical instrument, slowing down his juggling when he slowed his beatboxing. Even when he dropped a ball, he started again until he got it right.

Vid and Pip's show was the sort of show that made me appreciate the diversity of beatboxing since I watched the closing concert at Beatbox Convention 2009 (read the review here, opens in a new window). It put beatboxing in front of an audience you might not consider your as interested in beatboxing, and mixed it with vocals and eclectic music so they could appreciate it. Set in The Ritzy’s upmarket bar, it was perfectly suited for a relaxed, enjoyable and alternative Friday night.

You can also read this review on the HumanBeatbox website, click here to check it out.

Related section:

Beatboxing