Late 80s Mercedes - Late 80's @ Juice Bar - 13 August 2010: A Funkin' Good Time
The thing about ska is that it breaks down inhibitions. A guy can be a Genie in a Bottle and sing Toxic Brittney songs like Oops I Did It Again without fear of curious glances. Especially when that guy is Late 80's Mercedes' lead singer Clint Harris, whose voice makes all the girls swoon and whose enthusiasm swoops the crowd into a jumping and jiving romp.
* But (to digress briefly), preceding Late 80's Mercedes at Juice Bar last Friday evening were young opening act Tokyo Keys, who gave a passionate and energetic performance which really resonated with the audience. They brought with them a balance between high energy, upbeat songs and more melancholy, emotive tunes. Lead guitarist Andy Thomas is an incredibly charismatic performer and a pleasure to watch. He clearly knows what he is doing and has a great feel for his instrument. Yet each time he performs it's as if he is only just discovering what he can do and how much he loves the music - like a wide-eyed child opening a present. Tokyo Keys' fresh sound is a true testament to kiwi talent. They're a breath of fresh air in a culture of auto-tuned, tacky pop. *
Whereas Late 80's Mercedes are a whirlwind. The eight men from Hamilton dress the part with their slick collared shirts and polished brass instruments; they play classic covers as well as funked-up newbies for the kids; and they're never shy about packing in individual solos to show off their talents. And talent they have.
The band opened with a ska rendition of the King of Pop's Beat It, and subsequently flooded the night with their late 80's take on five decades of pop. Fan favourites included This Ain't a Scene, which has been a highlight for the boys to play ever since Pete Wentz blogged his praises for the kiwi funk version of the Fall Out Boy hit.
As well as mixing up the style of songs, Late 80's delivered mash-ups of well-loved sing-alongs, such as Emenim's Lose Yourself McFlurry'd in with Will Smith's Fresh Prince theme rap. Speaking of hip-hop, the boys proved they're always happy to inject a public safety message into their songs, at one point laying down the rhymes from the Ronald McDonald TV classic Make it Click.
There were some slow dances to be had as well; Late 80's serenading the crowd with the Loveboat theme and Frankie Valli's Can't Take My Eyes Off You. It's Not Unusual to hear Tom Jones making an appearance also, which provides a brilliant excuse for bashful boys to take that girl in their arms (or by the hand) and blame it on the music. That is, unless Clint jumps into the crowd himself to join the ladies for some impromptu duets.
Late 80's promise a sing-along, dance-along, fun-along evening and they never disappoint. Michael Jackson made a second appearance when the Billie Jean bass line was seamlessly twisted into Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer. They also cranked out a couple of their popular originals, such as the butt-grooving Down to the Disco.
And they don't stop; even when they're supposed to. The band stuck to a set list a couple dozen songs deep and skipped right over the intermission and encore break due to popular demand.
A Late 80's Mercedes gig can be rare to come by so if you missed them last week make up for it by getting down to Juice Bar this Funkin' Friday - Lt Funk are playing a free gig with Loose Change on the Fluctuation Station Tour.
** Thanks to Jessi Mee for her help writing this review!
About Late 80s Mercedes
With a sound fuelled by saxophones and trumpets, Late 80s Mercedes have carved a name for themselves by rearranging classic Top 40 songs into toe tapping, funk-soul or swing numbers alongside their own funk-inspired party tracks.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Late 80s Mercedes
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