Fat White Family, Yes (Pink Room). 22nd June 2021

I know some will be watching the Glastonbury live stream tonight (I think I’ll catch the repeat tomorrow), others will be watching Eurovision, there’s no accounting for taste. Neither will be as good as where I am though. At a gig, in a room with people and real live music. Performed by a band just a few feet in front of me. I’m here for Fat White Family, who are out supporting their new short film Moonbathing in February (Review for that on TakeTwoReviews.com). It’s dark and reflective stuff, with jazz flecked intros and whistful country songs, folk and lofi disco. It suits Lias Saoudi’s voice well, his baritone warmly delivering songs with menacing humour. I’ve not seen him perform since fronting Moonlandingz, but this is a very different affair. I’ve not seen Fat White Family live before, but this is striped back from their usual output. With the three suited on stage with some synths, keyboard, an acoustic and a flute! Yes we do get a flute solo! It reminds me a lot of The Magnetic Fields. Which is a very good thing. It’s witty and playful. Poetic and trippy. It might be that it’s perfect for a socially distanced gig. We’re all sat down, having app bought beer brought to us. This music sits well in this environment. Yes I miss standing, the swell of excitement that can only be generated by a mass of bodies together, but this is still live music, still great music and I’m thankful to the band, the venue and everyone making these events happen. All being well, I’ve a lot more to look forward to before the year is out.