By Storm LIVE at YES Pink Room: Experimental Hip Hop in Manchester

Words: Gethin Marshall

Images: Gethin Marshall

The Phoenix, in mythology, is a creature that holds the unique characteristic of a ship of

Theseus-like regeneration cycle, rising again from the ashes of its previous iteration and being

reborn as something that is new and unique while still retaining an element of the old. In this

way, it’s almost poetic that By the Time I Get to Phoenix is the name of the final album by

Tempe, Arizona hip hop group Injury Reserve before their disbandment and reformation as By

Storm. This new incarnation of the band is what I see before me in all its revitalised glory.

A cheer rings out through the venue as rapper Nathaniel “RiTchie” Ritchie steps out onto

the stage. A pent up energy is evident within him, something mirrored by the packed-in crowd in

the Pink Room at YES Manchester. He is closely followed by producer Parker Corey, who is a

huge contrast in his aversion to the spotlight, quickly making his way to his DJ setup on the right

side of the stage. As the stilted, melancholy guitar loops of Can I Have You For Myself?- the

opening track on the duo’s debut album My Ghosts Go Ghost- begin, the crowd cheers again; in

spite of the darkness in the music, the pink-bathed room is bubbling with one thing- joy.

After the untimely and tragic death of rapper Stepa J. Groggs in 2020, there was real

doubt about whether the group would ever perform in any capacity again, and the renaming of

the duo seems like an apt way of continuing to make their art while paying tribute to Groggs’

legacy and contributions. This continuation has also meant a further development in their sound,

and this debut album has really focused on pushing through their struggles and into the future.

This is once again evident in the live performance; pretty soon RiTchie is orchestrating

call-and-response with the crowd, occasionally pointing back to Corey to the sound of raucous

admiration for the introverted producer. At one point, the mic is handed to a couple of the

members of the crowd to sing into, with admittedly varying results. The energy barely drops for

the entire performance, even during slower tracks, and the pure electricity in the atmosphere is

making even the most experimental, inaccessible tracks danceable. This, I’m sure, is the fire

and passion that will be brought to the rest of their European tour through April.

Truly, this night has been a showcase of spirited vibrance, and vitality in the face of past

trials. Even as the music dies down and the pair leaves the stage to cacophonous applause, my

heart remains beating quickly. Impressively and with practically no break after performing,

RiTchie and Corey have made their way to the merch booth, which is quickly surrounded by a

crush of bodies. As I step out into the cool Manchester air, the signed CD rests lightly in my

pocket. The Phoenix truly has been reborn, and it’s a joyous thing to experience.