We had been talking about this for weeks, months possibly, and were so looking forward to something very different to the norm going down that night, but we still managed to be lateMy fault entirely and we missed Homesick Aldo completely and the majority of A Band Called Cadence.
Fools that we are, well I am mostly.
That being the case I cannot comment on Aldo that night, other than to say I have seen him in the past, enjoyed him greatly and fully intend seeing him again.
As I also said we missed on most of A Band Called Cadence, but that which we did catch we thoroughly enjoyed.
I am predominately a fan of beats, dance, hip hop, Northern Soul, anything that gets you moving and nodding your head…not the only genres I enjoy but a groove, a nice beat, a catchy melody and I am hooked…with no shame incurred, I likes what I likes ye ken? :)
And that is what we heard from A Band Called Cadence. I have been ill recently and I don't go out much any longer, I don't operate well in crowds so when we initially walked in I felt a tad overwhelmed,perhaps we had to many "hits from the bong" beforehand but I felt no urge to " jump around." ( sorry for the terrible hip hop quotes) That changed upon hearing these guys. We went in and made our way towards
the bar, thankfully where our friends were located. We exchanged greetings, had a few minutes chat, got some drinks and it was then that I noticed everyone I knew round about me, myself included, were shuffling around to the music, clearly relaxed and having a good time..a good sign.
The next thing I knew they were almost over and I was getting down with some dodgy dance moves to a cover of Michael Jacksons 'BAD.' I actually could not believe I was hearing a cover version of the song nor that I was dancing to it.
But it WAS good, and my that boy could sing, not Michael of course, he was not there. I am going to make a point of seeing these guys in the very near future.
Next we had Hector Bizerk.
Like I said I am a hip-hop fan.
The one band I have stuck by since I was 16 being the Beastie Boys. I have listened to , and seen live, many, many other acts of course but Scottish Hip -Hop?? F**k off, the. accent has just never fitted for me. I have over the years listened to london accents giving it large and working, GunShot for instance, but the Scottish thing just never really sat well for me, god I even cringe when I hear someone talking
slang on the television.
That changed for me there and then.
Hector Bizerk were bloody fantastic. The delivery of the rhymes, the flow and the subject matters chosen were all beyond fault. Clearly a very intelligent and talented wordsmith! (Is that even word??) And the drumming???? My god we were BLOWN away! The girl on the drums was really something else. She changed tempo, texture and volume
seamlessly, a beat was never missed.
It was so good I honestly at
times thought there must have been some sort of sampled/recorded backing being played. Nope. It was just the two of them. And they complemented each other well, the rhymes and beats were so locked down together, so perfectly entwined that what came across was a polished and impressive performance. If I had any criticism, which I don't, I would say that I was hanging out for a bass line to be laid in-between
vocals and drums just to satisfy me. They seemed fine without it, as did the crowd, but to me it would have added up to almost perfection.
I am serious, that is how much I rated these guys, my attitude towards the Scots doing rap has been changed forever.
If i wanted Hector to bring in some bass then Loki did not let me down.His backing tracks had guitar riffs, funky ass beats and bass a plenty. And his rhymes were none to shabby. Many a subject was covered in an intelligent and lyrically creative fashion, ecstasy, Glasgow and politics were all touched upon, it was a lesson.
People talk about hip hop, rap artists, spitting out rhymes. This was certainly heard tonight, these guys both had conviction in what they were saying and we listened. Man I enjoyed that.
On second to last were the Girobables, an act whom I have seen live now around 4/5 times, each time in the same venue and each time I have enjoyed the performance. How can I describe them?
Well talented nutters sits with me.
Not the kind of nutters you would find outside a pub at closing time looking for bother, the kind that would be in the field opposite wearing day glow tutu's in complete darkness, jamming on an acoustic guitar, 2 zylophones and screaming into a broken loudhailer, the good interesting sort of nutter.
The only person who may not enjoy their live act is Jeremy Kyle as he has had sexual relations where he should not have, or so the song goes.
A great precursor to the main meal. and delicious it was to be!!
The Banana sessions blew me and everyone I spoke to that night, and since, completely away.
They were tight musically, had a good sense of humour about the performance and an infectious groove that had the whole place bouncing along. Including the buildings foundations.
It felt like an earthquake had singled out that pub alone and was determined to shake it to bits, yet have fun doing so.
I don't know how they managed an entire brass band in there, or that they actually did, but it sure as heck sounded like one. In my head I heard tuba, flute, trumpets, drums, a celestial choir singing about what I am convinced was buckfast, a melodica (yup I never really knew what one was either) about 43 penny whistles and I was consumed with an overwhelming urge to clomp around like a wild eyed ring leader at a
circus leading band of gypsy pirates as opposed to circus animals.
I have listened to a lot of their stuff and watched previous performances and videos curtesy of YouTube so I thought I knew what to expect.
Song wise I did, they played everything I had hoped for. What I wasn't prepared for was the sheer joy and 'bounce along' factor that
hearing and seeing them live created. Everywhere I looked people were dancing along, smiling , doing a crazy form of the pogo and loving every second.
They captivated the place, it was hard to take your eyes off them and your ears? They were hooked. It was like a musical narcotic was being lovingly stuffed into your mind via your ear canals.
My head felt like it was filled with a funky feel good candyfloss and I was grinning
from ear to ear as though someone had just whispered in my ear that I had won the lottery while a dusky maiden gave me come to bed eyes over her drink and slipped her mobile number into my hand.
That is how good their performance made me feel.
All this in my local pub in little old Kilmarnock?
I could scarcely believe it was happening.
Not only must a HUGE thankyou go out to all the acts who performed, but to David Hanvey for pulling off this amazing feat and to Jollys/Kelly's management and staff, past and present,for a truly enjoyable evening and one that will leave me going cold turkey until, hopefully, something as brilliant happens again and every fibre of my
body can once more feel fed the drug of music, fun and friendship.
A GREAT night, a great friendly crowd and a great atmosphere. I doff my cap to all those involved.
Mucho gracios to Alan Thomas for filling in as guest reviewer. Yer a star mate.
Don't hold your breath just in case it doesn't happen, but there may be another review of this same show from another perspective.
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