The ‘seven-headed soul monster’ that is Fat Freddy’s Drop are celebrating their 25th anniversary in swaggering style. Hop aboard the funk machine and welcome onto the stage…
FAT FREDDY’S DROP
“Are you all ready for the Freddy?!” In his hour and a half DJ set, Logg Cabin has us all movin’ and groovin’ to his eclectic blend of soul-funk and reggae remixes. Alluding to their compositional conspiracies, his calmly exuded persona is merely a front to his quick-stepping high-energy house classics that take us on a journey of the ages. Early birds take advantage of the floor space to spin each other round and round till their heart’s content, and it’s such a beautifully human set that remedies those after work Thursday blues.
Prescribing us with a stronger strain of those techno infused rhythms are the boys themselves. Fat Freddy’s Drop plunges us into a hazed dancehall of digital reverbs; the lighting beams pulsing with the baritone richness of Slings & Arrows is like a welcome home. Dallas Tamaira’s voice is as soulful as ever complimented by the three-piece of horns and saxophone, and those brass instruments are all at once unassuming yet eccentric. Halfway through their set, the band will exit stage to quickly change into hot pants and hot pink tuxedos – yet we digress, the carnage is just beginning.
“Freddy’s in the house, make some noise, yo! Clap your hands and sing it y’all, we’re gonna be alright!”
We’re a brilliantly versatile crowd from all ages and cultures, signifying the appeal of this septet and their far-reaching sounds of escapism. No more is this true than in Cay’s Cray which transports us to a mellow-pebbled beach of smoke and surround-sound euphoria. True to its reggae roots, it provides us with an ideal vibe for these warm summer evenings on Talbot Street, seldom threatening to rush the downtempo nuance of their easy-going jam sessions as they continue into Blackbird.
It’s contrasted by the buoyant bounce of Roady which snakes and gathers momentum in both its cross pollination of sounds and audience participation. MC Slave taking over hype duties, accessorising this single entity we’ve become of a raucously joyful, never yielding in our swaying being. Whether it was the adlibbing of ‘heys!’ or repeated motifs of ‘woahs!’, we were all hands on deck for this ride of spontaneity.
“Say dee de dabee! Altogether on the fire!” He’s incessantly fervent in his appreciation for both his band members – frequently jumping and waving his hands whenever they’re hitting a climactic solo piece to garner a crowd cheer – and in the fans. “Say dee de doh on fire! Rock City on fire!”
Don’t be fooled by the innocently short setlist – it’s hard to tell where one song ends and another begins, seamlessly segwaying into one another with synth piano overtures. They effortlessly capture the vague phrasings of trance, jazz, and Motown into this sonically Freddy’s texture for gloriously futuristic results. Clean The House has us nodding our heads to its melancholic downtempo whilst Mother Mother has us two-stepping euphorically along to its modish funk vibe. Spearheaded by DJ Fitchie who ties these tracks together, the festival-esque carnage of lights and sound are completed by the saxophonist-slash-tubist-slash-jumping-into-the-crowd-flailing-a-harmonica-around-slash-rapper.
FAT FREDDY’S DROP PERFORMED THURSDAY 15TH AUGUST
WORDS: TALIA ROBINSON
ROCK CITY NOTTINGHAM
We’re not only Nottingham’s favourite venue and nightclub – we’re the UK’s best live venue with a rich history of performers that have played here. Thank you to Fat Freddy’s Drop for putting on a proper show!
Also while you’re at it, why not check out our gig guide and see if any other of your favourite artists like Fat Freddy’s Drop are playing soon! We also have our club nights on a Thursday (Tuned), Friday (Get Lucky) and Saturday (Rebel Rebel) so check those out too!
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