‘How the West Was Won’, Drapht and West Australian Symphony Orchestra • 
Perth Concert Hall, 18 November 2022 • 

There may not be anything better than seeing your dad deliver a world debut at your very first gig. ARIA-winning Perth hip-hop artist Drapht is certainly feeling every bit the chuffed father as he tells the audience his young daughter is at her first concert.  

And what better way to close out an Australian tour and the year with a specially commissioned world premiere? “How The West Was Won” is Drapht’s live collaboration with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, celebrating 20 years on the mic. 

It must be an amazing feeling for an artist to know there’s a whole room cheering them on – and this audience make their presence felt by singing, clapping, whistling and yelling all show, including the 63-year-old guy at the back of the room who is determined to let us all know he is a fan.  

It is a wonderfully mixed and collegiate crowd packing Perth Concert Hall, a sea of baseball caps and hoodies replacing pearls and tuxes. Lots of young boys, many with their dads – who both know the words – are testament to Drapht’s reach, influence and respect.    

Delivered in two halves, the collaboration is a stylish alternative to a pub show and an aurally creative way to celebrate a 20-year career. 

Opening with “Shadows on My Walls” (from the Shadows and Shinings album), it leads into 2011’s “Sing It”, where the signature flute kicked in. Perhaps one of Drapht’s most notable musical motifs, it continues to punctuate high points across the night.   

Considered a great of Australian rap and hip-hop, the hometown musician leaves us no doubt about his agility with a rhyme and smart name-checks, whether in “Don Quixote”, “Falling” or “Emperors New Clothes”. Clearly well read and informed, Drapht references widely from Eric Clapton, Nirvana, John Snow and Michael Jordan to the Ukraine, Sex and the City and the Sistine Chapel. Light on his feet, he has a refreshingly open physical style, which sets him apart from others in the genre. 

While the strings provide the base and are the wings beneath this reimagined version of a hip-hop sound, it is the WASO brass which adds the heat and the most energy to tracks such as the chugging “All Love”, “Mexico” and the hypnotic “Drink Drank Drunk”. The killer earwig of “Jimmy Recard” closes the first set on a high. 

WASO’s 2022 assistant conductor Jen Winley feels like a perfect choice for this musical marriage, which appears way more challenging than backing a pop singer. The integration of samples, audio, new compositions and Drapht’s own band takes acute timing and attention to detail. WASO trombonist Joshua Davis did the arrangements, which alternate between subtle support and strident backing of Drapht’s uplifting rhyming.  

Equally, it is hard to ignore Drapht’s sax and flute player Brandan Scott Grey, who is hugely entertaining (and the subject of much discussion during interval), and keyboard player Morgan Bain, who is the whole package thanks to a fabulous voice and video-worthy dance moves.  

It is a special night, so why not call up a few famous friends to join the fun? Guest spots from Optamus of Downsyde, Mr Trials, The Paul The Dan, Complete and Aaron D’Vaz provide a huge infusion of positive energy, which radiates outwards.    

As the second half wound into a triple climax of “Hypocrite”, “Bali Party” and the blazing encore “Rapunzel”, it felt like the early parts of the show didn’t have quite the same punch. This may have been totally by design because a standing and yelling ovation closes out the night, revealing just how much fun everyone has had.  

Leaving with a feeling of wanting more and maximum respect for art made before our eyes is exactly how this part of the west was won. 

WASO performs Mahler’s Third Symphony at Perth Concert Hall, 2-3 December 2022.

Pictured top: Perth artist Drapht and WASO make beautiful music together. Photo: Adrian Thomson