Kawala

Hot night in London meet Debbie at the South Bank but as it's packed we wander eastwards and eat at Tidbits. Soon enough we're at the Omeara club where we are marker pen branded on entry which is reassuringly old school and easy to fake if we were young and skint. We get wrist banded by the first door bouncer but that's to tell everyone that we've been frisked, or at least looked at, and bag searched. So more worried about terrorists than people faking their way in. Sign o the times. The place looks like a cellar but the walls and ceiling and stage look like an old playhouse with contemporarily distressed walls (i.e. not redecorated and peeling).

We meet Beckie, Simon and various relatives and soon the first band are on. I've no idea what they are called. Start with a guitar solo with a short number so no idea what's coming next. They are 70s derivative in a way that I'm not too sure about. Slow with a fair bit of soloing in a sort of Santana way but by no means as interesting. There again a long time since I've listened to Carlos & Co. I'd preferred a harder sound and a nod to the last 40 years in getting down grungy and dirty. Maybe not having a drummer didn't help. They are often down and dirty. There again they go down well with the young punters and who am I to argue with them. Especially as their sound guy was sporting a The Stranglers T shirt with Raven on Speakers. Respect.

After a well needed sit down at the bar we go back to the venue in time for the main attraction. With Beckie and Simon presumably brimming with pride Kawala take the stage. Well we think they do as the problem with watching younger and younger bands is that the audience gets taller and taller. The place is now packed, it's sold out, and they either have a hell of a lot of friends or they're the new big thing. First up, it's great to see a band that have a chat with the audience between songs. And crack jokes. Much too much seriousness these days. I'd ditch the West Ham scarf though (I can supply a nice red and white one). Our heroes go down a storm and no wonder. Jangly indie hits latino beats. Very interesting and great vocals supplied by the singer and our hero guitarist Daniel. The latter supplies a stream of rhythmic riffs in a modern sort of mixed up style jumping between laid back rock and a certain latin jazziness (to my admittedly uneducated ear). Complimented by the lead guitarist filling in the gaps. And all underpinned by a hard working and on it drummer and sharp bassist. Overall a great sound and gets the punters dancing or at least moving about where we can find room. For my ageing reference point (as pointed out by The Stranglers fan sound guy who delighted in telling me he wasn't born, or even a glint in an eye, when I first saw them) I'd call out Talking Heads when they were on their journey from CBGB kooky punks to danceable world music. Throw in the jangling bits of Orange Juice and laid back neo-jazz of Style Council and you can't really argue with that. All too soon they're off but due to popular demand soon back for an encore (I guess you can't argue if yer mum is telling you to get back out there let alone all your mates) starting with a drum solo (I can take them in limited doses and this was just right time and energy wise) with bassist joining in and after a couple more they're off. Excellent night and looking forward to LAL where they're playing what was apparently their first venue the legendary Nation of Shopkeepers.

Pictures, excuse the quality.

Kawala support

Kawala in full flow - the best shot of the drummer I got. Sorry mate.

Kawala with ceiling details

They had a great light show there

The new video. Spot yours truly cutting a few shapes. A very few with the rest on the edit room floor. To be fair it was lunchtime in a school hall before any limb looseners and I was the first to be sent up to dance before anyone else. Maybe the video director knew I'm not afraid of embarrassing myself to music. It ain't the first and won't be the last. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSHjnYQJoyM

And gratuitous canal side art. For more go see: London scenes  Great how photos of the snow look as if they're B&W