The Dutty Moonshine Big Band at the O2 Academy Islington

London. Saturday 24-February-2018

My nephew Chris play drums with The Dutty Moonshine Big Band. They had their best attended gig in London so far at O2 Academy Islington so we had to go!

Pre-show meal with sister, Jane, and family friend, Ros, was at The Elk in the Woods in the picturesque Camden Passage. Good food and a glass of wine.

Then to the venue early enough to see most of the support act: Mr. B The Gentleman Rhymer who Wikipedia describes, accurately, as "a British parodist who performs "chap hop" - hip-hop delivered in a Received Pronunciation accent." One in a long line of great British eccentric musicians to put alongside The Rutles, The Barron Knights and Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.

Then the main act. High energy stuff indeed although hard to categorise, it takes in a mish-mash of influences "from New Orleans Jazz bands, Noir movies and dirty warehouse raves. Imagine the kind of music Jay Gatsby would play at his parties if he grew up on the bass scenes of London".

Dutty is the guy in the middle with the baseball cap. Dress code was interesting, a female rapper in a cocktail dress and a harpist wearing an elegant evening gown playing hip-hop makes for a twinge of cognitive dissonance.

In the picture below, Chris is on drums at the back just behind the guy wearing the trilby.

An end of show picture from the stage; Chris with the beard to the right of the trilby.

We really enjoyed the show. Well done to the band!