The West Coast collective Jurassic 5 make it over to Dublin for a much anticipated Tripod show on Saturday 23rd September, and bring with them an impressive catalogue of sounds from their previous outstanding albums and this year's acclaimed 'Feedback'. Jurassic 5 started in 1993 when Chali 2na, Marc 7 and Cut Chemist, who were members of Unity Committee, met Zaakir and Akil who were in Rebels Of Rhythm. They all frequented The Good Life Health Food Café, a former open mic venue for unsigned acts. Several significant Los Angeles acts from the early '90s came out of this scene-The Pharcyde, Freestyle Fellowship, Volume 10, Ahmad, and Skee-Lo, among others. After years of suggesting that the Unity Committee and Rebels Of Rhythm work together, the groups recorded 'Unified Rebelution' which resulted in Jurassic 5.

Their independently released 'Jurassic 5' EP helped them secure their deal with Interscope (and was later extended and re-released as an album in 1998) and in 2000 they released 'Quality Control' which reached gold status, and followed it in 2002 with 'Power In Numbers' which made impact with 'What's Golden'. In the past year there have been some changes for the group. Cut Chemist left to pursue solo projects and a reshaping took place. Their fourth album 'Feedback' reflects this, and provides a sharp take on modern hip-hop stories, exhibiting Jurassic's 'no frills' approach, with four MC tag-team delivery and harmonies providing a generally upbeat narrative. 

There are many crossover tracks including the collaboration with Jam Band superstar Dave Matthews on 'Work it Out' and the reggae influenced 'Brown Girl' which features Brick & Lace on vocals. The rest of their album goes back to basics, trading on their old school hip-hop background with tracks such as 'In the House', which is a nostalgic tribute to West Coast Party rap and which is no doubt influenced by the Cold Crush Brothers among others. 'Feedback' mixes the trademark Jurassic 5 sound with a different kind of approach surveying world music, reggae and an even stronger sense of narrative, and marks the album out as a mature development by one of hip hop's most interesting collectives.

POD Concerts presents

JURASSIC 5

+ Sirocco MC's

Tripod, Old Harcourt St Station, Dublin 2

Saturday 23rd September. Doors 8pm.

Tickets €28.50/€32.50 available from Ticketmaster, Road Records, City Discs, Sound Cellar and usual outlets. www.ticketmaster.ie