No, not quite what you think!
Four of us from TBW went to The Fiddler’s Elbow in Kentish Town on Thursday December 22nd to see Bang Bang Romeo, a 3 piece ensemble from Doncaster.
As they were the headliners, there were two acts on before them.
The great thing about The Fiddler’s Elbow is that one payment lets you see all the bands, unlike The Bull and Gate and the Dublin Castle. Like the Bull and Gate though, the beer is cheap. As is the vodka.
Unlike the Bull and Gate, the staff can smile. They can even chat.
So, the bands preceding the main act.
Some guy called Johnny Ross was supposed to be playing as well, but he was either so nondescript we missed him, or he was a no show.
The first band actually on were called Fight the Bear. They started out a little discordant and somewhat country-esque. Not a good mix. But as they warmed up, they improved and eventually began to grow on me.
The second act was ViperSheff, a delightfully sweet rapper from Sheffield, pulling all the strut, but using lyrics that gave him more depth. It’s so cool to see a young lad rapping about loving his family and friends, and – wait for it… Being grateful about stuff!
ViperSheff kept his top on all night. That was less cool.
And then it was Bang Bang Romeo.
The band have recently released a new album called Divided Together and so they were performing lots of new material from it. Among that though, were the older ones, like Chemical, which their fans know and love. Chemical is a gorgeous song, which audiences tend to clamour for.
During their set, they played their new single, Adore Me Dear and the crowd went wild. Bang Bang Romeo know how to relate to their audience. We’re all people, all having a good time, and they don’t forget this. In my opinion, this is what sets them apart and why I go to as many gigs in support of them as I can.
A band with people skills is all too rare these days.
A band with people skills deserves to make it.
So, who can I compare their sound with in order to give you an idea… I reckon Anastasia, the band’s singer, has a Beth Ditto thing going on. But, she’s better than that. And better looking. And thinner. As a whole, they sound Gossip-esque, but they’re more dancy.
They’re influenced by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Hot Chip, David Bowie, Muse, Chemical Brothers, Radiohead, Jimi Hendrix, The Big Pink, MGMT, and there may be elements of those bands within their sound, yet at the same time, they sound very much like themselves.
They’re sort of indie meets pop meets electro. And when they did a couple of songs with ViperSheff, sort of indie meets pop meets electro meets rap.
Whatever, it works.
One of our little TBW crowd came along because she liked the look of Ross, the guitarist (he’s pretty cute), but when she sees them again, it will be because of their music. Oh, and because of Anastasia’s Amadeus type laugh, which had their audience in hysterics.
Those of you based around the Sheffield/ Leeds/ Doncaster/ Manchester area have them on your doorsteps – go see! I promise, you won’t be disappointed.
Written by Fyrebyrd, TBW Gig Correspondent
