Fat Freddy’s Drop – Camden Roundhouse – Thursday 4th December 2008

Live, Fat Freddy’s always put on a party. Whether an intimate affair or with several thousand of their closest friends, a good time is guaranteed. This, the first of two gigs at Camden’s famous Roundhouse, is packed and a huge smog of anticipation hangs outside the doors in the chill Camden air. At the end of this 18-date European winter tour, the event has clearly caught up with the band, ‘We’re very lucky Kiwis … very lucky fellahs’ says Joe Dukie in a rare moment of between-track banter, evoking a huge cheer from the large, predominantly Kiwi crowd. It’s very much THEIR party — FFD are very much THEIR band. New songs from the forthcoming ‘Big BW’ are greeted with huge cheers, songs from ‘Based On A True Story’, especially ‘Ernie’ (AKA ‘Willow Tree’) raise the roof. Each song is extended to its logical conclusion, from Fitchie’s rhythm or bass-line, the suited & booted, tight three-piece brass section slot in seamlessly, filling in with Keys, percussion and, by no means last, the sweet, effortless vocals of Joe Dukie. The faithful absorb every move, joining with word-perfect sing-a-longs, capturing the moment or chatting to absent boyfriends with their phones during the quiet, acoustic numbers. Despite being released less than a week ago, ‘Pull The Catch’ is an obvious centrepiece of the gig. Building from a deep, pulsing alomost ‘Chicago House’ throb that slowly morphs into the more familiar Fat Freddy’s, good-time rocker’s sound. On the strength of this, the new album will be an absolute killer. The two hour set concludes with a storming, loping dubby workout of ‘Cay’s Cray’ before the band finally leave the stage. There’s an expectant pause before the lights come up and the satisfied crowd empty out into the cold, happy to have experienced a slice of pure Kiwi sunshine in the depth of the grey, British winter. ‘Til next time then… (Keith Baker)