After reviewing their album last week, I was really looking forward to seeing a live performance of Laneous & The Family Yah
After reviewing their album last week, I was really looking forward to seeing a live performance of Laneous & The Family Yah. The mood was set early on, with support act Clairy Brown And The Bangin’ Rackettes getting the crowd on its feet with their ‘60s jazz-band vibe. Dressed in a black burlesque outfit and tasselled arm-length gloves, Clairy wowed the crowd with her voice and charismatic stage presence. The Bangin’ Rackettes oozed soul and sex appeal, with supporting vocals and choreographed dance moves set to the sound of an energetic six-piece band.
When it came time for the main event, the stage could barely contain Laneous and his travelling posse, made up of the four-piece Family Yah and girls of The Bird Fire Choir on supporting vocals. It seemed weird that for the launch of their new LP, Found Things, the band would start with two tracks that weren’t actually from the album – but once the show started it didn’t seem to matter. True to the bizarre album structure, the set list continually chopped and changed, mixing hip hop, rock, blues, soul, funk and punk.
The first track to come from Found Things was the hip hop-infused Ode To The Code, which took full advantage of the massive group dynamic and set the crowd in dance mode.
Highlights from the album being brought to life were the intoxicating Pine Nut, the soul-ridden Deserve (which showcased Laneous’ incredible vocal range) and Got Dream which saw the Bird Fire girls in full flight, screaming “we excel ‘cause sex sells!” to an enthusiastic crowd.
Laneous picked up the guitar for a rocked-out version of Bad Son, which was originally recorded as an old-school soul song (and also my favourite track on the album). The change of pace was obviously intended to keep up with the intensity of crowd pleasers Slow Down, Pick Up Truck and the punkish Enemies and Danger.
The Family Yah band let loose with It Only Takes and finished the set on a high, with party track and first single from the album, I Am Dog.
Laneous & The Family Yah offered more energy than a can of Red Bull and managed to capture the fun and free form that made their album so enjoyable.
