CHOON

Kid British – Live @ The Borderline, London

Taking to the stage, in the now sardine-tin-like Borderline, Kid British have the self assured stride of a band about to collect a lifetime achievement award, but the truth is these are no old hats & these boys have yet to even release a single. Perhaps it was the certainty that with an audience half-filled with family members & friends a negative reception was out of the question but even so these boys barely break a sweat.

Gliding seamlessly through a set-list of The Specials meets Mike Skinner sounds, it’s easy to identify which will be the big chart toppers. Tracks Elizabeth, Lost in London & Sunny Days are all met with instant audience approval, and with catchy choruses & infectious instrumentals it suddenly becomes apparent what Gloria Estafan meant when she said the rhythm is gonna get you.

Vocals are split between the boys with Simeon, Adio, Sean & James all getting their share of centre spotlight and there’s a healthy Bloc Party comparison to be made when all four sing in unison. The obvious enjoyment on stage makes the audience feel privy to an intimate jamming session between close friends, and the enthusiastic home grown Mancunian support add a touch of camaraderie to the occasion.

The lyrics are honest and unpretentious, with innocent references to ‘taking a break from uni work’ (Drive Thru) providing an incite into Kid British’s capacity to connect on a personal level with the crowd. In a climate where bands are so quick to pen songs about the crippling melancholy of heartache, it’s refreshing to hear a group who just tell it like it is. After all, how many of us have truly suffered the supposedly agonising pain of losing love which seems to be reserved only for prophetical independent artists and poets? Getting lost on the London Underground on the other hand – now there’s something I can relate to.

The joy of Kid British, aside from the obvious rhythms and rifts, is their undisputable ability to transform everyday situations into interesting, catchy songs. There’s no gaping precipice between the world they inhabit & the reality experienced by most every day. It’s this empathy with their audience that forms Kid British’s crucial selling point, and could easily be their eventual undoing unless they manage to keep their feet firmly on the ground if fame and fortune enter the picture.

By Cristina Azorin