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Mark Ronson |
So, how was your date at the Proms?
A pick of the gigs gives a taste of the variety at the second Electric Proms festival
Estelle
Jazz Cafe Electric Proms
AWARD-winning artist Estelle performed to a full house at Camden's Jazz Cafe
on Sunday, bringing the BBC Electric Proms festival to a glittering finale.
The talented diva appeared on stage in a sparkling white dress to showcase a
new and innovative sound from her latest album Shine, out next year and best
described as a fusion of rap and soulful vocals with a chorus of moving
melodies.
The audience sang along to classic hits 1980s, Free and Freedom whilst the
stand out track of the night was Substitute Lover, an infectious
reggae-inspired track about infidelity featuring surprise special guest and
MOBO award winning MC Kano.
Reverend and The Makers
Barfly, Camden
Friday
AS ONE drunken Manc scally repeatedly told the Reverend (John McClure), of
Reverend and the Makers on Saturday night "seriously man, you're like Ian
Brown meeting the Happy Mondays and Kasabian for a back alley fight - it's
like the Hacienda all over again".
And that's what the Sheffield band comes back to - the glory days of
Madchester. Their hour-long set included the best of their album The State
of Things, including celebrated single "He Said He Loved Me", "18-30" and
crowd favourite "Heavyweight Champion of the World", a rousing, electro tale
of all the things he could've been. The mighty and very tall Reverend
commanded the stage with a mix of hard-man bravado and bouts of self-penned
political poetry. But the real story came afterwards.
As the set drew to a close, he grabbed his as-yet untouched guitar, waded
through the crowd and took his songs to the street.
Perching on a railing outside Morrisons, "I don't do requests, I only know
t'Beatles, ourselves and Bob Marley", he launched into nearly another hour
of songs, including two as yet unreleased tracks of his own.
He even had time to duet with passing Haverstock Hill Rastafarian Roots and
promised to team up with him to record a future track.
Bloc Party
Roundhouse Saturday
IF BLOC Party are known as "serious musicians", their support act Maps are seriously serious. Competent, all encompassing, and intricately clever, Maps bombarded their audience with a rising wall of sound. All very worthy but sometimes clever can verge on dull.
Bloc Party came across almost carefree in comparison. Singer Kele Okereke produced a sick note from his doctor at one point to show he wasn't supposed to be there but in true rock 'n roll style, he was gonna do it anyway.
The standing crowd melted into a swirling mosh pit as the strains of Where is Home, This Modern Love and Helicopter filled every corner of the
Roundhouse. But no Electric Proms gig is straightforward. The Exmoor Singer added to the drama but their haunting accompaniment was at times a bit too much.
Ray Davies and friends
Roundhouse Sunday
THE Electric Proms came to a close on Sunday night with a nostalgic performance from former Kinks frontman Ray Davies.
In a good-natured appearance, Davies kept the humour going as he disappeared
offstage to change into a cowboy shirt for The Tourist which he acted out
with comical dance moves.
The Morpheine Song, about a Louisiana hospital visit, was the strongest by
far.
While his more recent music was heavily influenced by his travels around the
Deep South, many of his lyrics remained true to his north London roots. He
played several songs from his new album Working Man's Cafe, out on Monday,
dedicating the title song to his brother Dave.
Those waiting for his return to Kinks classics were not to be disappointed -
Tired of Waiting for You, All Day and All of the Night, particular
favourites.
Muswell Hill neighbour Razorlight frontman Jonny Borrell joined Davies for a
dazzling version of Sunny Afternoon and the Crouch End Festival Chorus came
on for the encore, with a slightly ridiculous version of Dedicated Follower
of Fashion. Waterloo Sunset, Lola, and new track Imaginary Man came next. He
ended with a fantastic version of You Really Got Me, taking it from blues to
rock as he told how his brother Dave's input to the song had launched The
Kinks into their stratospheric career. |
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