Variety, 18th February 1987
Beaste Boys don't sing, dance, or play instruments. What do thee ex-punk rap brats do to sell out the Palladium? At show caught, the plain white rappers roared and bantered. cut up and laid down a verbal attack that owed as much to their punk origins as to the urban black style and music they've co-opted.
Tough, cool and ridiculous, they're three middleclass white teenagers from a Manhattan magnet school, who've found massive chart success in a black musical idiom. "Crossover" takes on new meanings with these white kids, who act like white kid acting like black kids but appeal to all kids, as seen in the very young, very diverse and responsive crowd.
Fun was at the fore as the three little rascal stooges paced like tigers, threw beer everywhere, talked about girls in the audience and generally exploited the teen dream they're living. They even got the house to sing "Happy Birthday" to King Ad-Rock, the littlest, most animated Beastie.
Possibly the most successful joke band in history, Beastie Boys started years ago as the Young Aborigines, a spoof punk band. Success with "serious" punks came as a surprise, as did the positive reception later to their rap excursions. It's all still a big joke from the attitude to the clever words, but watching the rapt, fists-up audience, one wonders who catches it.
Through increasingly subsidiary to teen rebellion, humor is still a big part of the Beastie act. Current hit "Fight For Your Right" is a thrashing anthem to kicks and the "right to party", underpinned with the moral authority of heavy metal guitar.
Musical background was provided solely by DJ Hurricane. who manned turntables at the top of a giant six-pack of Budweiser, replicating the albums cuts and beats, scratches and snatches of old tunes and new metal guitar riffs. A couple of fights broke out before the band went on, but MC early on warned that, in case of trouble, "We're never coming back here... we're not into that violence tip." chat. in case of troubie.
After an energetic but brief set, the Beasties left the stage. Instead on an encore, Def Jam label mates Run-D.M.C. strutted out, and the crowd nearly tore the roof off the hall.
The reigning kings of rap, whose own show here was cancelled last year due to Long Beach Arena violence, performed three of their hits, including the remake of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way.". Bobbing and chanting "Yo Beasties!" they welcomed their hosts back on stage.