London Mean Fiddler
29.06.06
It must be great fun being in a band as good as Sonic Boom Six. This Mancunian crossover quartet mix genres effortlessly and seamlessly, whether ripping through the vitrolic ska-core of ‘Blood For Oil’ or downing instruments for the triple vocal hip-hop attack of ‘Monkey See, Monkey Do’ – and they certainly get the crowd moving. The Movement don’t fare quite as well, their sharp suits not compensating for the fact that there’s nothing particularly memorable about their scratchy, Jam-esque rock n’ roll.
The Mad Caddies’ popularity seems to have waned in recent years (they have previously sold out the bigger Astoria) but they’re still an entertaining, if somewhat predictable live band. The couple of new tracks aired tonight are fairly typical Caddies fare, but it’s brass-punk nuggets like ‘Macho Nachos’ and the swashbucklers’ anthem ‘Weird Beard’ that get the sweat-drenched crowd bouncing and skanking like monkeys on hot coals. Tonight is all about having fun, and the closing brace of ‘Road Rash’ and ‘All-American Badass’ ensure smiles all around. Till next time, then.