CRACKTOWN and Friends By Elsie Creek

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I have seen Cracktown perform several times since the first night I met them, many months ago. That wasn't even a gig as such - just an open mike acoustic night at The George (Land of Green Ginger) where they play each Thursday. I got talking to the twosome after their set, and ever since then I've been hooked on their clever lyrics, catchy choruses and enigmatic personalities.

It seems I'm not the only one, for in the last few months the band has gone from strength to strength, with a core of devoted fans and support acts

Front man Silver Fox treads the fine line between genius and insanity, in his habitual Dickensian getup of top hat and tailcoat. He growls out lead vocals and prances and stamps about the stage with manic harmonica solos. King Rat, tall and lean, provides energetic acoustic and vocal backing with plenty of eye-rolling. But the main thing which sets Cracktown above all the other excellent musicians in the area is the rapport they develop with their audience. Songs are interspersed with comedic interludes from the sardonic duo which frequently involve the fans, whom Foxy refers to as Cats and Kittens.

It has been interesting to see the band explore new formats and media in their performances, and so far they have been unfailingly popular with the punters.

The band's high point has to have been 2003's CrackTown Carol at the Lamp (Norfolk Street), which promised ..a night of pantomime-esque fun and frolics with the necessary twist. It has to have been one of the best gigs ever staged in Hull - not only was there a host of talented support acts, but it was truly interactive. The audience was initially buttered up with free mince pies and crackers, tastefully arranged around the venue.

As the alcohol flowed and people relaxed, there were surreal games including tug-o-war with a rubber chicken. There were photocopied Christmas trees for people to decorate as they saw fit, and a guy playing the Christmas Ghost.

As the night's theme was loosely based on Dickens' A Christmas Carol, there was a plot of sorts, enhanced by rather good video clips. It's no wonder that the talented support acts were somewhat overshadowed: CrackTown epitomise impact, and that's what live music is all about.

By the end of the night, everyone was quite drunk and in the perfect mood for their impromptu collaboration with Ten Men in a rendition of (So Here It Is) Merry Christmas, which had the whole pub singing along. Says it all, really.

While CrackTown continue to perform in Hull, gigs further afield have proven their appeal as not just local. Much as I wish them success, I am not looking forward to them becoming too big for our modest venues. I cannot stress enough the importance of making the most of this local treasure before they move onto greater things, as surely they must. Although it is impossible to reproduce the live effect on a CD, CrackTown's debut album, Songs in the Key of F*ck Off, is excellent. The band's vitality shines through even without the witty repartee.

Recommended listening: the less than patriotic Best of British, the unforgettable East Riding Yorkshire Ripper and of course the all time favourite Charlton Heston, although all the tracks are brilliant. A second album, There Must and Shall Be Midgets, is expected later in the year, and the new material which they have performed has already been received with great enthusiasm.

cowfisH is one of CrackTown's favoured support bands. Their style is gentle folk music, with beautiful melodies, haunting vocals and poetic lyrics. There is a lot of talent in the group, and they have produced several CDs, but they don't make a huge impact.

They just don't manage to be radical enough to stir up great enthusiasm in the residents of Hull, despite their musical competency.

CRACKTOWN and Friends continued..    Here

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