SKA
THE SKATALITES The Art School, Glasgow, Sun 6 May 0000.
After April's rare treat of The Funk Masters. Glasgow's next Band To See Before They Die offering was this May Day Fundraiser from Ska originals The Skatalites as they closed the Scottish leg of an expansive world t0ur. The support had been Edinburgh's own maniacal institution Bombskare with a two-tone pogo that was tight enough to testify to their pedigree and wild enough to imply there was plenty of stomp left in them yet. The Skatalites that followed comprise three original members with one foot in the proverbial. a speCial guest vocalist and a c0uple of comparatively young upstarts completing the picture. The old guard beamed. mumbled incoherently and effortlessly knocked out all those classic proto-reggae gems. It was humbling to be reminded of how many stock. good-time riddims this band crafted and the debt owed by the world of music to such an unassuming. merry troupe. but above all it was a heavenly night of positive vibes and skanking good tunes. And another one to tell the kids about. (Mark Edmundsom
ROCK
THE DRAYTONES ooo HOLY GHOST REVIVAL oooo Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh,
Tue 8 May
For anyone craving aggression. Holy Ghost Revival in support do the job. As well as smashing his tambourine to pieces. singer Conor Kiely leads a passionate exhibition of fierce-rock bled with timely piano and charged lyrics. The headliners. an Anglo— Argentinean trio by the name of The Draytones. are. by comparison. way more genial hosts. The bass drum is decorated With a hybrid of the British and Argentinean flags while tight Suits. Dick Tracy hats and jiving are de rigeur.
Since forming this past January. The Draytones have leapt up the music world ladder. having been signed to 1965 Records. The alIuSion to the 60s goes deeper than their label with sound and lyrics a testament to the ethos of the time.
The set drifts along like a dream. without ecstasy or nightmare shifting from simple lyric-led rock to the soft- psychedelic and then into some blues with 'The Cats are Corning'. They s0und a band in midst of some heavy experimentation.
‘It makes me want to get my old Kinks albums out.' says an admirer. I couldn't agree more. (Stuart Maxwell)
INDIE AU REVOIR SIMONE oooo
SLOW CLUB ooooo The Admiral, Glasgow, Tue 15 May
There's no denying that all-female New York trio Anna. Erika and Heather aka Au ReVOir Simone have a thing or two going for them. They're all tall. thin and exceptionally pretty for one thing. More importantly. they're blessed with a collective ear for something achineg beautiful: shimmering. celestial electro pop. as performed on a bank of synths. percussion and drum machines. with ice-cold precision. Album The Bird of Music is rendered here beautifully. it's like Stereolab all settled down and had little electropop kids. They're definitely a band destined to break a few hearts — one way or the other.
What a surprise it was. though. to see them upstaged by their support: Sheffield boy girl two-piece Slow Club. Performed solely on vocals. acoustic guitar. and a drum kit made out of wooden chairs and what looked like a saucepan. their clattering alt.country gems were an absolute joy to behold. Resembling a kind of anti- folk Leonard Cohen. they've a style every bit their own. and. what's more. full of character: all lyrical quirks and winning smiles. Further proof. were it needed. that it's personality that really counts. (Malcolm Jack)
you do.
houses.
MELANCHOLIA
CANDIE PAYNE
King Tut’s, Glasgow, Wed 16 May 0...
Phil Spector's name may now be more likely to be linked at the moment to incarceration than innovation. but the eccentric New Yorker's influence still casts a powerful shadow over the performance by diminutive Scouse songstress Candie Payne.
That the 24-year-old yOunger sister. one of The Zutons and one of The Stands. spent some of her childhood in the Big Apple is evident in the wall of sound that she and her dapper backing band proiect over King Tut's. and there are definitely more nods to The Bonettes or Nancy Sinatra than anything closer to home.
But this is no mere retro trip. the musical ideas are fresh and here lyrics speak of experience beyond here tender years. Lines like ‘I pray that tomorrow l W!“ know iust what to do' may bring the ineVItahEe torch singer label. and although comparisons to Dusty Springfield reflect the bittersweet edge to her voice. they fail to convey its raw force which veers from James Bond theme huskiness to punky and upbeat Blondie-style echo during her short but sweet set. A performance as flawless as her perfectly-applied eyeliner.
(Emma Newlandsl
Tomorrows nit/Sic today. This issue: New.’ Young Pony Cleo
The NME Awards Tour might be a kingmaking spectacle, but, by being involved with the New Rave leg of it this year, fine young London electro-pop outfit New Young Pony Club may find themselves dragged down into a scene. That would be a shame, because the quintet - formed and led by singer Tahita Bulmer and guitarist Andy Spence - deserve to be judged on their own merits. The List caught up with Spence as he was about to board a plane to Hong Kong and open Stella McCartney’s new shop. As
How do you feel about being ‘New Rave’?
Well it's obwoiisly a load of bollocks. but it's worked out aiiight for us. It was Just a tag to package four bands together who were a bit more interesting than your average dinosaur rockers. and the fans turned up With their glowsticks and loved it. To be fair. Klaxons did invent tne term and they cover rave tunes. but to us it's all about dance. dsco and
You’re on Australia’s Modular label, possibly one of the world’s most fashionable. How did that happen?
Everyone at the label claims they saw us first. but I belie\.e it was through their band. Cut Copy. who talked us up in the MW . We're the first British band on the label. so no pressure there. then? lhe album Fantastic Playrooni's done. dusted and ready to go in Jane. though. We're really pleased With it. it sounds like a bunch of iii year olds growmg up in the 80s and haying a party. iDaVid Pollock‘.
I King Tut Glasgow, Fri 2 Jun; Liquid Boo/ii. Edinburgh. Sat 3 Jun.
23'. Mai. / .J..‘" .‘I‘zi‘ ' THE LIST 57