Was (Not Was)

There's a danger that Was (Not Was) may have left it a bit too long for their comeback. There's a distinct lack of activity outside the Islington Academy and this is only partially improved upon once inside the venue. The place is roughly half full and it's easy to meander around from front to back and from bar to bar without any hassle.

As a prelude to this gig the band appeared on 'Later' and played a selection of songs, old and new. They’ve just released their new album 'Boo' which is the first studio album since 'Are you Okay?' in 1990. It also feature Kris Kristofferson guesting on vocals on one-track, which may or may not float your particular boat. In some ways it's a bit sink or swim time for the band also.

There is no support for this show and the band are on at 8.30pm sharp. At first the sound is a bit muddled but it soon shapes up, as does the band. By the time they surge into 'Papa Was a Rolling Stone' it all kicks in nicely. Obviously, 'Papa' is one of the greatest songs ever made and if you don't know it stop reading this review now and go and buy the original version by the Temptations and then continue. Nothing can really match the original version but Was (not Was) come amazingly close and the band start to instigate a variety of shuffling, foot tapping and occasional swayings amongst the predominantly eclectic audience.

The audience are enthusiastic but not particularly passionate so it's hard for the gig to really take off fully. They launch into 'I Blew Up the United States' (still a worryingly topical song title) and intersperse this with some extracts from Donovan's 'Sunshine Superman' and Curtis Mayfield's 'Superfly'. The musicianship is excellent and the strong standard is maintained for the opening two-thirds of the performance. It even satisfactorily covers the obligatory new album slot when it's accepted that this usually coincides with a much-needed visit to the toilet.

The band are introduced with their newest member, Ray Mitchell, the junior of the band at a mere 25 years in the right light he does tend to look a bit like Chris Rock’s dad but without the expletives. David Was takes his place in the look-alike league as the lost brother of Chevy Chase.

By the time of their most well known hit, 'Walking the Dinosaur', it's started to get a bit drawn out and an elongated sax-guitar trade off in this song is a slightly worrying sign. Don Was talks about their early days and leads the band into a selection of songs from this pre-fame era. From this point onwards it all starts to get a bit samey. The energy begins to drain form the crowd and there's a distinct lack of excitement despite perfunctory performances from the band.

By 9.45pm they're off but manage to gain a credible high score draw by encoring with a slowed down and soulful 'Out Come the Freaks' which engenders a bit of a sing along from the decidedly un-freaky audience.

Was (Not Was) play a tidy amalgam of rock, disco, jazz and sub Stooges punk and cover a veritable spectrum of sounds and styles. The old and the new segue effortlessly into one another and make for a satisfactory nights entertainment. In many ways I get the feeling that they would be great at a festival, as they would surprise people at how good they really are. A nice tight 40-minute set would be a perfect taster for an unknowing crowd and it would trim off the fat and leave the lean for the keen.

So, sink or swim? At the moment a satisfactory comeback with the band keeping their heads nicely above the water. Get them signed up for a few festivals and they could be (front) crawling towards a wider audience that would put them firmly back on the musical landscape.

FUTURE GIGS

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