Black Magic Woman...and men...and er... dead guy!
Download is a sea of metal, a rolling juggernaut of rock and roll and much as we love it, sometimes you want a break, something different from the norm, a little lighter, no less weird but just different… enter Urban Voodoo Machine!
Describing themselves as bourbon soaked gypsy bop ‘n’ stroll they make for compelling viewing as a nine piece band all kitted out in red and black, complete with a touch of burlesque in half naked guest cymbal player Lady Ane Angel. Oh did I mention that one of the two drummers (yes, two drummers) is painted green and looks decidedly dead? He’s not by the way, infact he never stops moving as the two drummers constantly swap places and stand up in well choreographed moves. So what of the music? Well they do pretty much what it says on the tin, a good dose of cabaret and swagger with plenty of gravel tinged Tom Waits style vocals and lyrics.
Recent single ‘Always Out’ impresses and they get the good sized crowd clapping along early on. The lyrics are amusing and the stage show well worked, it’s definitely one of the most entertaining sets of the weekend and they don’t seem to have any weak songs as they move through ’Emptiness’, ‘Always Loved You’ and ‘the rousing ‘Go East’. Led by singer and guitarist Paul Ronney Angel they are impossible to take your eyes off and almost impossible not to like! They get a fantastic reception from the crowd and judging from the broad smiles on their faces even the band can’t have been expecting it to go this well. The only surprise of the show is to discover that they are not from the deep south of the USA but from London! Another candidate for set of the weekend.