Weekly > Reviews
Ugly Duckling - Hi Fi Club Leeds
As I walk into the club I realise I’m joining the party half way through the set of a genius. This isn’t the main act tonight, or even the main support, but the opening act on the bill who is stripped of his usual crew but still leaving a crowd disbelieving what they are seeing.
I’m talking about Homecut, an act based in Leeds but with a growing reputation on the back of the No Freedom Without Sacrifice debut album and with a gig coming up early next year in London with DJ Vadim and Wax Tailor that really is going to be some line up.
Tonight he’s flying solo but when you can build beats, guitar sounds, scratching and soulful singing all from the same mouth then you don’t need anything else (well except a nice vocal looping machine that he uses so cleverly). A real talent.
Second up isn’t anywhere near as impressive for me, Maxfield lay down some funky tracks and almost hip hop style percussion at times but that seems slightly at odds with the charismatic and colourful singer who seems to walk the line between Mary J Blige style vocal acrobatics and a young Tina Turner without ever convincing us that she’s close to either.
There is one moment that I do feel sorry for her as the set really isn’t bad but she goes for the famous hands in the air clap along moment with the crowd and not a single person joins in, feeling she is too central for this she moves to the right side and tries again with the same result, it’s wonderfully misjudged stuff.
No such misjudgements from tonight’s headliners though, Ugly Duckling are veterans of the live show and although this is the first time i’ve caught them live it’s clear a fair percentage of the audience are returning for another slice of their hip hop pie.
- Ugly Duckling
- Hi Fi Club Leeds (4th November 2009)
- Category: Live
- Label: Fat Beats
- Support: Maxfield + Homecut
- Reviewed by: Kev
- Published on: 17 Nov 2009
- Photography by: The Beat Surrender Facebook Page
- Comments: 0
- Beat Surrender Rating:
Weblinks
Add to favouritesAndy Cooper and Dizzy are the front of stage voices behind the group but it’s the foundations laid so expertly by Young Einstein that set the platform for them. His beats, scratching and music are the driving force of their live shows and the duo rightly give him his just deserts with the crowd throughout the set.
Interaction with the crowd is an integral part of tonight and it’s all the better for it, they want to entertain, they want you to be a part of the gig and they want you to go away with a smile on your face.
There isn’t any danger of anything else though to be honest, from the first track through to the close of an essential encore they deliver everything you’d want from a hip hop gig. Two highlights for me were the rousing take live on the single I Won’t Let It Die (one of the singles of the year for me) and I Did It Like This from their 2001 album Journey To Anywhere.
Aside from being superb musically I have to say they come over as pretty humble and decent guys as well, they allow a young emcee from Bradford called Ex-P to share the stage with them for an impromptu spit…he doesn’t disappoint as he slates the band and they take it in the humour it’s intended and they can’t thank people enough for turning out to see them…trust us guys, the pleasure really was all ours.
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