Rainy Friday nights in Glasgow are cured by only one thing: chicken pakora. However, pakora is best enjoyed during or after the ingestion of alcoholic libations. With all this in mind, I almost forgot that Federation Of The Disco Pimp were taking over The Admiral Bar (pronounced more or less as “admirable” after the eleventh drink) for the night.
Up first were Alabaster Jones, probably the only band in the world with a name rivalling the headliners in coolness. They might lament the fact that the booze hadn’t quite loosened up a stiff-legged Glasgow crowd, but their set was a well-structured funk-rock affair that will probably see them make a lot of people smile at festivals. Great fun.
Commandeering the “Soul Plane,” Federation Of The Disco Pimp wasted no time in doing what they do best. Not only did they defy the laws of physics by fitting on the stage (surviving a human missile attack on stage-right as well), but the eight-strong party took their funk to its fullest form yet. The sight of a full room dancing is spiriting, and they certainly made it happen.
Glasgow audiences are notoriously stuffy, often preferring to dance to a DJ’s wand, so it was nice to see that good music – played live and played well – can trigger a reaction in the ‘human’ that puts dancing, not highfalutin’, above all other priorities. Federation Of The Disco Pimp, in this respect, are of a rare breed. Go out and see them.