Fusing Ska, Punk and Hip-hop Into Something Great
Sonic Boom Six might be playing second from bottom on the Lockup Stage, but the band manages to put on a show that is so voracious and spitting with power that they could comfortably play much higher up on Friday's lineup. Sonic Boom Six's deranged mixture of ska, punk and rap has attracted a tent full to the brim with colourful hairstyles and their sound effortlessly gets even the most hungover of punters dancing.
Laila' s high-pitched voice invokes joyous dancing from the crowd whilst basslines that could be heard a mile off draw more and more people into the Lockup tent to in vestigate this diverse cross-breed of sounds.
"I feel sick this is so good!" cries their petite singer Laila before leading the rest of the band into 'Monkey See, Monkey Do', a bass driven track with a darker edge running through its heart. Even some unruly feedback from mics can't ruin the fantastic vibe this song carries.
'Piggy In The Middle' is much more upbeat and one punter is heard gleefully shouting that the band are 'nu-ska'. You never know, it may catch on, for there is certainly something refreshingly different about Sonic Boom Six's blend of old and new sounds fused together with catchy choruses and melodic breakdowns. As for the genre label, only time can tell.
Sonic Boom Six then move onto their brand new single, 'While You Were Sleeping', due out September 10, and it is a highlight of their set. There's something here that screams out that marketed in the right way, the band really could soar to new heights of popularity. Sonic Boom Six seem to have nailed the art of keeping the spirit of ska alive whilst fusing it with messed up, down and dirty punk and the result is a band that sound great.