FOXY SHAZAM
FOXY SHAZAM @ King Tut’s, Glasgow – Sunday 7th November.
For anyone who likes their music exciting, fun and different, then King Tut’s in Glasgow is the place to be tonight. Cincinnati Rock ‘n’ Soul sextet FOXY SHAZAM are in town, playing their first ever Scottish date.
They are here ostensibly to promote their new (third) album, so they are not exactly newcomers to the music scene, but having played only a handful of UK shows previously, they still remain pretty much undiscovered by the masses.
That will all change in 2011. Remember where you read this!!
Everyone has their preferred style of music, obviously. But I defy anyone, even the hard-core punks and metal-heads not to leave a FOXY SHAZAM gig with a great big wide grin on their face. Their upbeat, positive approach to playing music is reflected in their extrovert (occasionally camp, even!) stage show. But it is for their timeless, lasting songs that they would prefer to be remembered. And given the right exposure, they have a few up their collective sleeve that will certainly stand the test of time.
The on-stage focus is naturally on vocalist Eric Nally throughout the set, although horn–blower Alex Nauth and bearded keyboard player Sky White give him a run for his money with their energy and eccentricity respectively. But it’s Eric who kicks things of:
“If FOXY SHAZAM was an animal at the zoo…..” he shouts as he takes the stage, “then we’d be the ones most likely to bite your head off without even thinking about it!”
Opening with the dramatic ‘The Only Way To My Heart…’ from the new (UK) eponymous album, the tone is set for the next hour or so: Eric struts across the stage, bouncing his mic stand back and forward into his grasp; Sky stares rather manically into the crowd (when not playing his keyboard while lying down, legs in the air, or pirouetting over the top of it;) bassist Daisy remains completely stoical – some may say ‘disinterested’ – in the background while drummer Aaron lets the madness descend all around as he concentrates on pounding the soulful beats. Alex juggles his trumpet, working up a sweat as Eric cajoles him into expending even more energy, and guitarist Loren is left in relative peace to thrash his guitar in true axe-man style.
The bulk of the set concentrates on the new album, but older numbers such as ‘Dog In Love With Kitty’ and ‘The Rocketeer’ are included. There is also a Misfits cover in the form of ‘Hybrid Moments’ that works really well.
Though Eric would prefer the band be remembered for their music rather than their on-stage antics, there’s no denying their dramatic presence is a big part of the ‘package’ that is FOXY SHAZAM. Throughout the set, we are engrossed by Eric variously hanging upside down from the rafters; eating (yeah – swallowing) lit cigarettes; pushing out some press-ups as he sings; running across the stage on all fours like some rabid animal and pulling imaginary arrows from his imaginary quiver and ‘firing’ them into he audience!
It all makes for a spectacular show that combines excellent music with atmosphere and audience inter-action. Not many bands could pull this off. None other, I’d say.
FOXY SHAZAM are no ordinary band, and it’s definitely only a matter of time before they are accelerated from ‘cult’ status to a more mainstream acceptance.
Seriously – this band really should be caught ‘live’ – go check ‘em now (or when they next return to UK) before they become the passion of the masses!
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