Krakatoa arrived onstage to a paltry round of applause – they were a strange choice of support for Alabama 3 – but with each song the cheers grew louder. Sounding like England’s answer to The Hives, or possibly what Oasis would have sounded like had all their songs not been the same (with a bit of ska thrown in for good measure), the small crowd grew and soon Krakatoa had the place in uproar, enticing punters down to the front by explaining that “the floor’s not made of arsenic!” Belting out tracks like their latest single, Fat Cats, and slower number Lest We Forget, it’s clear to see that this London five-piece is on the way up.Now, there’s intro music and there’s intro music: Alabama 3’s lasted for half an hour. Too loud to talk over and not exciting enough to keep the crowd entertained, those 1,800 seconds passed by slowly. Once they hit the stage, however, Alabama 3 were sensational. Plying their electro-blues with the skill and attitude fans have come to expect, the band rollicked through a 90 minute set without pausing for breath.
With an undoubtedly more electronic sound live than on record, Alabama 3’s live set may not have been to everyone’s taste, but for those who knew what to expect, it was worth the wait! From opener Shoot Me Up; through synchronised dance moves, electronic breakdowns and the obligatory preaching; to closer Hello I’m Johnny Cash, the nine-piece outfit had the audience in the palms of all eighteen of their hands! Other set highlights included the intoxicating ‘Cocaine’, and the hypnotic Hypo Full of Love (The 12 Step Plan).
If you’ve read this far and still have no idea who Alabama 3 are, let me illustrate… Ever watched The Sopranos? Know that amazingly catchy theme tune? That’s Woke Up This Morning. That’s them. No, they’re not from Alabama, and yes three is in fact the square root of their sum total. But none of that matters, not least to the band themselves. No, all that matters is that they put on a kick-ass show with flashy lights, electronic beats and gold ol’ get-down-and-boogie blues.
For more information visit www.myspace.com/alabama3uk
ES
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