Photos and review by Jennie Book
@jenniebookphotography

Stereo MCs just finished playing six dates in the US for the first time in two decades, and graced The New Parish in Oakland with one of them on May 15th on their Connected 2025 Tour. The performance came just ahead of their slot at this year’s Cruel World Festival in Pasadena, and even though the venue was modestly sized, the energy inside was off the charts.

The British group—formed in the early 1980s and best known for their crossover hits “Connected” and “Step It Up”—has kept its core lineup. Rob B. led on vocals and live effects, Cath Coffey held it down with soulful, glorious delivery, and founding member Nick Hallam maestroed the decks. The group has been joined this past decade by Tansay Omar on live percussion, whose drumming and bongos added depth and drive to the set.

From the jump, the crowd was locked in. There was no casual attendance in the club—it was a room full of fans who knew who and what they came for. Stereo MCs responded in kind with a 13-song set that ran over an hour, tight and disciplined but loose enough to keep things moving organically. Rob B. worked a small effects unit at the front of the stage, layering delays and sweeps over his rhymes and vocals and adding flourishes that gave the performance some extra texture.

The setlist leaned on their best-known material but didn’t rest on nostalgia. Tracks like “Elevate My Mind” and “Step It Up” hit with the same momentum they carried in the ‘90s, and “Connected” was a set crowd-pleaser that moved feet and made the crowd happy. And you haven’t lived until you’ve heard Cath Coffey sing the “I wanna go higher” lyric live.

You might be tempted to think the MCs were just a big in the 80s/90s band passing through town playing a little club, but the reality is they’re masters at their craft, and they have an incredibly storied history in the music industry. Dig into their past and you’ll find a band that’s been involved in nearly every facet of the business—from founding their own label and pressing their own 12-inches in the early days to remixing major artists and touring with the likes of Happy Mondays and Jane’s Addiction. What could’ve been a legacy act phoning it in was instead a seasoned group of artists in full command of their sound.

With their set at Cruel World wrapped, I hope festival-goers both young and old recognized what was in front of them and took full advantage of seeing them on the big stage in Pasadena. But for those in the room at The New Parish, the night was a rare and exciting chance to see a band with deep roots who have lots of room left to keep sharing their magic with fans.

For all the latest news and info check out www.stereomcs.com.