No one was shot during The Pharcyde's show in Brighton.

But that will not surprise fans of the LA hip-hop team, which sprang from the peace-loving daisy age of the early Nineties.

No time to glorify guns or gangstas here: Imani Wilcox and Romye Robinson just wanted to party.

Unfortunately some invitations must have been lost in the post as the influential rap group found themselves playing to a half-capacity crowd.

But still they managed to whip up a playful storm with a drummer, keyboardist and turntablist keeping things tight.

While the beats were steady the most exciting achievement of The Pharcyde remains their use of jazz and funk to elevate the groove and create a perfect platform for its slick lyrics a legacy echoed in the sounds of Black Eyed Peas, Jurassic 5, Blackalicious and Common.

Inevitably the crowd went wildest at hits from Pharcyde's glory days Passin' Me By, On the DL and Ya Mama, all from their ancient debut LP Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde. A big cheer went up with every announcement of a tune from 1993 no matter that half the audience would have been aged seven at the time.

With tracks dating so far back, the show was always going to be polished. It also felt a little tired at times, at least by comparison to the raw energy of some of the younger generation still battling to make its mark.

But the absence of the pressure to prove themselves also helped give The Pharcyde's performance a sense of fun.

With so much of modern hip-hop mired in bling-obsessed money grabbing, infantile machismo and violent braggadocio it was a joy to watch the living history of an alternative vision one where the beats are served sunny-side up.

With all the usual audience participation (say "hell yeah!"; say "Ah, ah-ah"), The Pharcyde demanded full attention and almost received it.

Shamefully, too many lyrics were left incomprehensible by the overpowering sub-bass.

But the commands were easier to decipher.

"Throw your hands up in the sky!" And the hands went up.