Friday, July 02, 2010

Stand By Your Man!

Radar DetectorImage by Timmy2wheels via Flickr
I predicted back in April that Darwin Deez, an American Indie folk band from New York, had the potential to become the soundtrack of our summer. I stand by that statement because their energetic live performances have received impressive reviews for entertainment and originality.

Last night I caught up with the band at the Banquet Records, New Slang event hosted at The Hippodrome, Kingston Upon Thames. This was the first time I had been to Kingston, other than the phone boxes sculpture which provided a photo opportunity, the surrounding area wasn't too inspiring. We arrived at The Hippodrome early, after being checked for weapons we were soon inside on the dance floor. Darwin Smith instantly recognisable with his trademark curly hair complete with a headband, posed for photos with fans during the early stages and we took the opportunity to speak about their schedule and festivals. Although I have only met him and the other band members on a few occasions they remembered my name and were eager to talk about the latest. Michelle who usually plays bass is a professional dancer and had returned to the US for a performance. This meant that Greg (drummer) played bass guitar for the first time. Support was from Laura Hocking and her band, they were good although during Laura's solo performances the band had to wait perfectly still in the background. Different! After a minor technical difficulty, Darwin Deez took to the stage and the place erupted. They played material from their album and performed dance routines to mixes including Peanut Butter Jelly Time, Do The Bart Man and Single Ladies. If you haven't seen them yet then catch them before they return home in November!!

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