Moshi Moshi's Best Fwends sure know how to kick things off with style. Deciding an early wardrobe change was in order they introduce themselves to the confused crowd by crouching on the floor and giving us five mins of full-on topless sweaty-boy action. Happy with their new outfits (1970s short-shorts/ill-fitting tees), the DJ cued up a rather nice old dub tune and, presumably by means of a warm-up, the Texan duo did their best school disco via Jamaican Dancehall moves, setting the tone for an evening of very silly boys playing even sillier music.
Each song lasting around a minute, all shouty, but incredibly catchy nerd-pop (referencing hip-hop, rock, electro and just about anything else you can think of) Dustin and Anthony are as much manic stage show spectacle as they are ‘real band’. Highlights included passionate protest song I don’t wanna go to church as well as the shows closing; a ‘sexy’ freeform R&B dance performance to Ginuwine’s ‘Pony’. Disturbing and enthralling in equal measure. Pretty much Best Fwends in a nutshell.
On to Brooklyn’s finest, Matt and Kim, who entered to the whoops and screams of their small but enthusiastic group of front-row followers. Unaware of their drum heavy sound, I found myself leaning against the speaker but the temporary deafness was worth it. Kim, an absolute demon on the drums, clattered away with such precision and sheer joy that it was hard to take your eyes off her. Not to take anything away from Matt, our keyboardist and MC for the night who couldn’t wait to tell us just how amazing their first European tour had been and how much they ‘fucking loved England’. I know, I know, but it was hard to question his sincerity. That’s the thing with Matt & Kim, they’ve yet to reach the cynical tour-weary stage of their careers and it’s hard to believe they ever will. Both grinning from ear to ear throughout, they belted out one stomping party hit after another as if their lives depended on it.
As twee as it all sounds, it was hard to resist their happy happy bouncy music and it seemed pointless to even try.
