Categories
Live Reviews

Ugly Duckling – Live

Yungun & Mr Thing
Scala
02.11.2006

The packed out Scala warmed up with Imperial Leisure, a shockingly bad ska band who, as far as I’m concerned, should never have been on the bill. After they’d finished however, the real show got into full swing with Yungun and Mr Thing taking the stage with Devise on hype duty. Opening up with Jackin’ For Breaks, the UK act showed their worth, rapping over various other tracks and getting the crowd that bit more excited.

Mr Thing busted out a nice solo, hitting some one-handed scratch routines, before Devise got a chance to do his thing over some faster paced music. But their highlight was the brilliant Dancing Shoes, cutting the audience in half for some hugely well received call and response, before having the entire place bust out their moves for the track.

With the audience suitably ready, Ugly Duckling took to the stage with DJ Young Einstein throwing up some People Under The Stairs as their introduction. Andy Cooper then proclaimed that King’s Cross was the first place they stayed when they first came over 6 or so years ago… and it was still as shitty as it was back then! With the opening salvo of Let It Out, Yudee and Pass It On, the crowd were dancing and hollering before they’d even got into full swing on the stage.

But when Einstein brought out his trust dookie gold rope and Eye On The Gold Chain rang out, we knew we were in top gear. Rio De Janeiro and A Little Samba came either side of Pick Up Lines, where Dizzy attempted to chat up a girl using first an American line and then a British one – Do you work for the Royal Mail? Because I swear you were checking my package – before finishing up with Turn It Up and Smack.

One thing you know you’ll get when you see UD is a brilliant live show, packed with fun and smiling people, and this time didn’t disappoint. Though it was full to bursting point, there wasn’t one push or shove as everyone found their own tiny bit of space to dance in. A brilliant performance by an always amazing live act.

Abjekt
[Photo from www.myspace.com/yungunmusic ]