27th November
Deaf Institute
8/10
Molotov Jukebox came on in a frenzy of Hawaiian shirts, glitter and bright colours. The front woman, who you may recognise as Tonks from Harry Potter or Osha from Game of Thrones, took to the stage in a wonderful tropical outfit and headdress, while also supporting an accordion. It was great seeing such a strong female musician heading up the band and doing it well! She added so much character, direction, and smiles to the band, while also supporting the other members to be a cohesive unit throughout the gig.
While their musical style was quite similar all the way through, it is one not very explored in the wider music industry. Calypso, gypsy, pop, pounding dubstep rhythms—it’s somewhere in there, a bizarre concoction that somehow works. The use of violin, trumpet, and accordion in conjunction with the typical band instruments lifted the tone and the crowd’s spirits to the point of dance competitions, salsa and microphone-wobbling on stage. Her vocal style also added another edge to the performance; the only way to describe it is Lily Allen meets Amy Winehouse.
The band seemed to have just as much fun as the audience did, and their obvious good relationship with their support act made the show all the more enjoyable. It feels like it is only the beginning for them as they teeter on the verge of soaring popularity and stardom, which they thoroughly deserve.
Their support act, The Church, was full of fun, stereotypical gospel Americanisms and controversial “Jesus came inside me” theology. Their primary aim is to put on a show, not produce their own music, hence why their repertoire consisted of the Sister Act soundtrack, ‘Hey Ya’, and ‘Gangster’s Paradise’, all performed in wonderful harmony.
