BIGFLUFF, GONE BEGGIN', NECESSARY ELVIS, at Blakey's Cafe Bar, Blackburn

NECESSARY Elvis kicked off this cancer charity show, singer JP Keenan's howling voice soaring above the solid rhythm section.

The stage became a frenzy of swirling guitar attack as the three lads out front launched a joint assault with poise and energy. The Pendle band also showed a softer side towards the end with a couple of melodic tunes based round jangly chord changes.

Like the band before them, Darwen folk outfit Gone Beggin', they were unhappy with their sound. Both groups constantly pleaded with the soundman for adjustments, although things seemed to sound fine out front. Singer Gary Walsh not only played guitar, whistle and harmonica, clapped and danced like a mischievous leprechaun, but tore the microphone from the stand and came down from the stage in an effort to kick-start the crowd. With most of the crowd seemingly waiting for Bigfluff, Gone Beggin's up-tempo mixture of original material and traditional Irish song was enjoyed but not danced to. When Bigfluff took the stage, singer Matt Cousins turned to an ancient-looking synthesiser to provide some weird whirring sounds around which the rest of the band built a fast rock-funk vibe. The six-piece looked a tight unit from the outset and when Matt took to the microphone he showed the star quality which could catapult these modest lads to higher things.

There are plenty of East Lancashire bands playing funky rock but there are two reasons why Bigfluff stand out - the fragile but strangely confident demeanour of excellent singer Matt Cousins and the seamless stop-start mixing of samples and scratching by Kyle Sadler on turntables.

Dreadlocked guitarist Ben Clough's fast funk moves reminded me of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, as did bearded bassist Lee Brotherstone's appearance. Matt stopped mid-set with just an acoustic guitar, his voice turning a little gravelly as he strummed a simplistic but shimmering rhythm. And if more evidence of their versatility were needed, Kyle's turntable efforts combined with the '70s synth to provide an ending to the evening that verged on hard techno. The partisan crowd lapped up every minute, but I'd never seen them before and now I'm converted.

PAUL BARRY

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