It was main support Current Swell’s first performance in the UK having travelled over from Canada bringing their blend of acoustic folk/blues, which along with the combination of rough and smooth vocals provided courtesy of Davers Lang and Scott Stanton, were slightly reminiscent of early Gomez – although based on this performance how Current Swell have managed to release four albums before making to this side of the water I’ve no idea.
Not only do they have two great frontmen vocally but they certainly gained new fans with fantastic slide guitar work and funky bass lines, whilst close your eyes during the harmonica on the likes of “Working Man Blues” to be transported back across the seas and to the delta blues of the Mississippi.
So it may well have been Current Swells debut in the UK, but after what’s sure to be a successful tour with the Skints I have no doubt it won’t be long until they’re headlining a UK tour.
Having been warmed up by the support East London’s the Skints burst onto the stage with guitarist Joshua Waters Rudge singing for the more Ska based numbers whilst drummer Jamie Kyriakides takes on lead vocals during the reggae tunes, all the while being complimented by the soothing sounds of Marcia Richards (who’s also the multi-instrumentalist of the band).
The Skints have released the album “Part and Parcel” since last playing the Wedge, having opened for fellow London based ska-reggae band the King Blues a couple of years ago, and with two albums worth of material along with an Ini Kamoze cover, they also show cased some new material as well as playing a more dub version of their early single “Up Against the Wall” – a tune that had been remixed by the legendary producer Mad Professor.
The night ended on the Skints “Culture Volture” from the groups’ first album and we were left to applaud what had been a great evening spent in one of the Souths best venues.
Mr Teeth
