Wednesday 9th April 08 - The Blueskins (Last Ever Hull Show), Kal El's Cape and Kill Surf City At The Adelphi (3/4) By Michelle Dee Photos By Winston Sanders (Blueskins) and Michelle Dee (others)

(1/4), (2/4), (3/4), (4/4).

Photography Gallery Kal El's Cape Gallery,   Kill Surf City Gallery,   The Blueskins Gallery ,   The Blueskins Winston Sanders Gallery .

Kill Surf City's performance tonight was of a very high standard, the best I'd seen them for a long time, maybe ever. They sounded tight as a badger trapped in a hole filled in by a vengeful Welsh farmer. Each moment, each change, each shift in pace and mood came in beautifully. The songs like old friends, Speed and All I Heard delivered on past promises.

Danny tensely wound then crashing into life, Rachel with poise and precision, Katy (drums) engaging and eye-catching: demanding more than just a cursory glance to the back.

To top it off, strong clear vocals from Dave out front. He wearing the final word in hand me down chic, commanding the stage and the attention of a somewhat bemused crowd. I think those in tonight weren't expecting a theatrical singer with half mast trousers thrusting and posing in their general direction. They weren't expecting a series of dark melodramatic songs that sparked like cordite till they reached an explosive end: A bit of culture shock for some.

It mayn't have been Kill Surf's usual crowd but it's never a bad thing playing to new people. New song Little Miss Enigmatic was beautiful tonight and will surely prove a crowd pleaser, hopefully a floor-filler and maybe even a money spinner. Kill Surf perhaps need to look for a grandiose and glamorous locale to air their wares; somewhere dripping with Victoriana, gorgeously garbed individuals with bouquets and opulence. Ideas, suggestions on a sepia postcard please.

Last time I saw The Blueskins, it was a fairly low key affair. They played on a Sunday in Adelphi to a limited audience, but I couldn't help but be moved by their blues infused sound. Tonight the four piece opened their farewell show with tight fast funk riffs and almost soulful vocals. A large helping of the deep south accompanying the aforementioned smoky blues. Riffs were washed clean to my right and hung out to dry, beaten then left billowing in hot dry winds. Dirty harmonica blasts, raspy sounding but fitting with that Americana feel mixed with a sweet bit of slide.

Bringing you back, but only for a second, the band fall into a practice song, a funky Marley number that sounds unlike any Marley I've heard before.

Continued .... Next Page (4/4)

Photography Gallery Kal El's Cape Gallery,   Kill Surf City Gallery,   The Blueskins Gallery ,   The Blueskins Winston Sanders Gallery .

Photographs Copyright © 2008  Michelle Dee and Winston Sanders

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