As mentioned in a recent post on Facebook, this gig is arguably a little “left of field” for our site, but we’re always open to new experiences and there is no reason why we need to limit the music we listen to. We’re definitely no gatekeepers!
Openers (well, opener) Boogie Belgique played a DJ set, band founder Oswald Cromheecke touring as a solo performer for this tour. In fairness the stage was already rammed full of the headliners’ kit, so trying to squeeze half a dozen more people onto the stage (and tour bus) may have been a struggle.
Now, I’m not one for DJ stuff though I’ll grant an extension to those within other bands (Slipknot, Linkin Park and others), but this wasn’t bad. Throwing enough little swing samples into the mix to get the crowd moving and excited for Caravan Palace, there was a definite flow to the half hour set. Every time things lulled, Oswald quickly threw in a little earworm and the audience were focused again. Pretty good going, especially given that I was one of the audience and likely to be a difficult one to win over.
Would I listen to it again? Nah, still not for me. On the other hand it was a good way to chill and audience-watch for half an hour. No complaints. I would, however, really like to see the full band sometime!
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Talking about the audience, it was pleasing to see the venue fill up nicely for both the support and Caravan Palace arriving on stage. With an early start (8:20), I was worried that some people might miss out, but the Academy was nicely rammed by the time the headliners strode on stage in a blaze of white light.
I’m sure our photographer, Alan, was enjoying running around keeping up with the motion a little more than with the rather more static support! And movement he (and we) got. Caravan Palace mix modern sounds with century-old swing music. Their sound is as if someone has listened to one of the funkiest, catchiest, bounciest styles of music and gone “how can we make this stuff really good? Like… reaaaallllly good?”. And then nailed it.
Coming clean, Caravan Palace were new to me until about a week ago. My gig buddy had spotted the tour dates at the last minute and has been a fan of theirs for a few years. A quick check on YouTube and I needed no further convincing that this was a band that I wanted to watch perform live. With six (seven? I was off to the side so it seemed like six, but seven are listed on their Wikipedia page) members, all of whom seem to play more than one instrument (including singer Zoé Colotis), they are obviously stupidly talented. To choreograph all of their moves to the point that they seem relaxed and natural shows a huge amount of experience as well.
So they put on a good show, they have lights and they’re incredibly talented. What’s the music like? In short: bloody good. In long: really bloody good.
The performance was virtually non-stop, with only a short break between the main set and the encore. The energy that the band possess is incredible and it reached right out into the audience. The guy in front of us seemed to be doing a one-man Charleston for most of the show, four women to my right were dancing around each other, and I can hand-on-heart say I don’t recall seeing so many people in an Academy audience jump up and down at the same time. And, yes, I was one of them.
I recognised a couple of songs from my brief run through their YouTube videos (“Wonderland ” and “Lone Digger”), as well as an absolutely brilliant cover of “Black Betty”. Played early in the set, the crowd participation was effortless and it made for one of the highlights of the evening.
As I said at the start, a bit left field for our site. However, we cover rock music – and Caravan Palace absolutely, totally, 100% rock. And swing. And have definitely given me one of the best gigs I’ve been to this year. Tickets are still available for a couple of the remaining shows on this tour and I would definitely recommend grabbing one if you want to try something different.
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Photos by Alan Swan Photography
