Oxfam’s unique club night gets soulful for Make Poverty History. Review by Andy Future.
While the bustle of a weekend in London is submerged under the drizzling miserabelia of British ‘summertime’, the subterranean enclave of the Notting Hill Arts Club is a bristling sea of colour, cocktails and good vibes. Far from being the usual type of ‘too cool for you’ gathering you’d find lurking in this part of West London, Music4Life is exactly the kind of universally accepting and instantly magnetic party it promises to be.
The record fair, along with video screens showing off Oxfam’s campaigns to Make Poverty History, Control Arms and Make Trade Fair, give way to the first of two bands, Lucky Soul who hail from Deptford in South-East London via all kinds of insignificant places. The 20-something, female-fronted five-piece exude an air of timeless beauty. This probably has something to do with the sparkling beauty of their female blond singer Ali Howard, who looks like a cross between some ‘50s film star and The Cardigans’ Nina Persson.
Her high pitched sugar tones sweeten themselves firmly around the extremely solid construct of her backing band. It’s a mix of ‘60s guitar pop and smooth, Motown grooves which could not be any more perfectly suited to the occasion. Tightly driven rhythmics and a confident presence all help build with the timeless grandeur of some of Lucky Soul’s songs.
The Pipettes meanwhile, have been touted as the ‘future’ for some months now. After much hard graft honing their polka-dot clad, Minnie Mouse-styled girl-pop (with backing band The Cassettes, lest us forget) they have finally signed to renowned indie label Memphis Industries. Tonight they show us what music’s been missing for so long. Songs, intelligence and, moreover, fun.
Gushing with a natural sense of purpose, their mini doo-woop anthems are set to alight the Lost Vagueness compound of this year’s Glastonbury. Some of the army of fans they’ve brought with tonight are even singing along. Underneath the costume and choreography though, The Pipettes are a thoroughly enjoying live act. Short-sharp doses of pop now only a hop, skip and a jump away from the charts.
After that, soul and funk from messrs Keb Darge, Andy Smith and Guy Hennigan, kept people shaking their thang until the small hours. What an awesome night…
The Pipettes are set to play this Friday’s Club Hedonistic Glasto Warm Up Party in support of Oxfam. Info at www.clubhedonistic.com.
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