Bees sting with a mix of Little Richard, The Band and The Beach Boys Boys
Last updated 05:38, Friday, 29 August 2008
THE BEESIN the closing hours of Solfest, The Bees are in flight to keep the party going.
Frontman Paul Butler bawls out the tunes like Little Richard, beaming at the happy crowd. The absurdly talented six-piece has the country twang of The Band and the vocal harmonies of The Beach Boys.
Their upbeat set combines Sixties-style rock and Seventies psychedelia with a healthy serving of bouncy reggae. They can’t go a song without swapping instruments, from hammond organ to cornet, harmonica to saxophone.
Organ player Michael Clevett is particularly impressive, his fingers a blur as he hammers at the hammond.
But everyone gets their own solo, and occasional instrumental pieces show off their virtuosity. Crowd members join the fun with increasingly crazy dances, to yelps of encouragement from the band.
In an hour-long set, The Bees play a selection from their three studio albums, as well as plenty of new material. Towards the end, the brilliant Chicken Payback is impossible not to dance to.
The audience stretches back for what seems like miles, and even the dark and the drizzle can’t stop them having fun.
Having recently ditched their EMI contract, The Bees are clearly in the mood for celebration. And with pop songwriting this perfect, it’s no surprise when people get stung.
MEG JORSH
