Music review: Ukepunk
Article published: Wednesday, May 2nd 2012
Does punk played on the ukulele really work? Sarah Adie finds out firsthand, checking out Ukepunk’s latest gig at Cushion in Altrincham.
Cushion bar in Altrincham is a relatively up-market establishment, with lots of plush, comfortable sofas, soft lighting and expensive whiskeys behind the bar – certainly not the kind of place you’d really expect to be putting on a gig of epic punk proportions. On Friday, however, that’s exactly what happened, with Ukepunk & The Forty Thieves skanking their merry hearts out to an hour and a half’s worth of 70s punk covers.
So what’s so special about Ukepunk? The band’s only been playing together for 18 months but they’ve definitely cornered a niche in the musical market. After all, you really wouldn’t think that hearing The Ramones’ ‘Sheena Is A Punk Rocker’ played with gusto on a ukulele of all instruments would work, but it certainly does and the crowd – although somewhat limited in size – couldn’t get enough of it.
With its pared-down instrumentation, raw sound and fast-and-hard edge, this gig was a mightily refreshing change from the auto-tuned world of music today. Ukulele player Paul Davies’ smoky vocals and great banter with the audience kept everyone more than tuned into the inventive proceedings, which also included a couple of original Ukepunk songs peppered among the more familiar strains of The Sex Pistols, The Stranglers, Violent Femmes, Iggy Pop and The Specials. He was backed up by a bassist – on a very minimalist double bass (no bout to speak of, just a fingerboard and a couple of strings) – and a percussionist, who left the traditional drum kit behind in favour of what looked like a speaker but was in fact a cajón (pronounced ‘ca-hon’; a box with some snare and guitar strings in it – basically the lazy man’s drums).
Ukepunk performing live
If you’re looking for a gig with a difference, then Ukepunk ticks all the boxes. People’s initial reaction to the concept of The Clash on a ukulele is generally ‘what the @!>%?’ but if punk is all about pushing boundaries and eschewing mainstream music, then this band has it all. George Formby this ain’t.
Sarah Adie
Next gig: The Flying Shuttle, Bury, 21 June.
Comments
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Strummer himself was a huge fan of the uke.
Comment by Tom on May 2, 2012 at 8:07 am -
Great stuff cheers! For gigs and the rest you can find us here
https://www.facebook.com/UkePunk
http://www.youtube.com/UkePunk
Comment by UkePunk on May 2, 2012 at 2:09 pm -
[…] short but informative review of a UkePunk gig was published here. Its conclusion: “If you’re looking for a gig with a difference, then UkePunk ticks all the […]
Pingback by Thats Entertainment - by The Ukulele Punk (UkePunk) | UkeView on November 25, 2012 at 3:47 am
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