Fresh Air - The Alternative

29/04/08 - Edinburgh Corn Exchange

Sara D’Arcy

Ok, so The Kooks aren’t the coolest band to profess to have seen at one of their gigs. But I wasn’t the only person there at their sold-out gig at the Corn Exchange, Edinburgh.
The crowd was buzzing with excitement and were eagerly awaiting the performance of the recent album chart number one. The audience varied from chavs to Rahs, screaming girls, Pritchard wannabes with trilbies alike, and people as old as my parents: The Kooks have certainly worked magic with the music on a grand-scale, reaching out to all different sorts of fans from the nation. (more…)

Following two enjoyable support acts although neither particulaly appreciated by a small but highly enthusiastic crowd of Boy Kill Boy fans, with shouts such as “Fuck off and bring on the Boys”, Boy Kill Boy finally came on to rapturous applause and more than a few cries for “Susie”. But instead opened with upcoming single “Shoot Me Down”, which went down well.

The sound was generally tight and the atmosphere was buzzing, the banter could have been a bit more enthusiastic from the band, but with a set list that covered their entire album plus B-sides, the fans were more than satisfied by Boy Kill Boy.

Fresh rating ✩✩✩✩

Apparently the hype surrounding Akala after his Mobo success this year hasn’t yet reached Edinburgh. The size of the crowd doesn’t do anything to drain his enthusiasm, however, and soon enough it rubs off on us. It’s not just his on-stage charisma that makes this a great performance though – he’s a genuinely gifted MC.

Live a cappella raps are often worthy and underwhelming, but his verse is impressive. His political lyrics have a lightness of touch that keeps him from whining like his older sister, Ms Dynamite, and he has remarkable rhythmic sensibility, equally comfortable within hip hop and drum’n'bass. “Roll Wid Us” and “Bullshit” both go down well, and he manages to get most of the crowd involved in a call-and-response, but the biggest reaction by far comes with his signature tune “Shakespeare” (I’m similar to William, but a little different / I do it for the kids that’s illiterate, not Elizabeth).

It’s a short set but, given that it’s the third of the night (two decent warm-up acts, Profisee + Simba and Marvin the Martian have already been on stage), it’d be churlish to feel hard done by.

Joe Lickens

Fresh Rating ✩✩✩✩✩

At first glance you might have thought the Ritalin had run out, but if you’ve seen The Automatic before you wouldn’t have been surprised by the pace, energy and enthusiasm - these guys aren’t here to be cool, they just fucking love it. They battered out raw, edgy tunes from the start and left everyone gagging for the hits.

Keyboard player Pennie could hold a show on his own; cheeky and attention seeking with an epileptic crowd pleasing presence and even his own rendition of Kanye West’s Gold Digger. Even if you only think you like these Welsh rockers, you must see them live, they are unbelievably entertaining - expect to sweat, a lot! Keep that Ritalin away from this band and keep them on that stage.

Kenny Nicholson