Hot Topics:

Ice-t

Sundance unveils competition lineup(8344 views)

Bloody 3D sequels planned(3097 views)

Directors in Oscar spotlight(1835 views)

Summit's 'Twilight' dilemma(1575 views)

Domestic box office up 8% in 2009(1384 views)

52nd annual Grammy nominees(1307 views)

Ice-T (House of Blues, 999 capacity; $ 22.50 top) Promoted by House of Blues. Band Ice-T, Sean E. Sean, Sean E. Mac. Reviewed Aug. 8, 1996. With no new material to support and a midset technical problem, multimedia star Ice-T failed to rally fans at his House of Blues appearance Thursday, despite his forceful presence and showmanship.

Ice-T, sporting a black-brimmed cap and pin-striped coat, drew from his five gold albums and his recent Rhyme Syndicate/Priority Records release "VI: Return of the Real," as he played the onstage role of cool and cocky street-savvy hustler rather than his more familiar hard-core thug.

But the mixed crowd of hip-hoppers, industry types and Melrose Avenue poseurs sat mostly motionless with arms folded while the rapper delivered clear and precise raps and well-articulated rhymes during the 80-minute set.

Highlights included "I'm Your Pusherman" off the "IV" disc and "Colors," the title track off the 1988 Orion Pictures film.

Any momentum the rapper may have achieved was undermined by a 15-minute mechanical glitch with the turntables. The pacing also was affected by a pass-the-mike session featuring some of Ice-T's crewmates that failed to strike a chord of interest with the audience.

Variety is striving to present the most thorough review database. To report inaccuracies in review credits, please click here. We do not currently list below-the-line credits, although we hope to include them in the future. Please note we may not respond to every suggestion. Your assistance is appreciated.