Kate Goes / Vix n'the Kix / Bom & His Magic Drumstick / Anyone For Shark? / The Sugarfoot Stomp DJ's Rainbow Digbeth Friday 1st February 2008

Ner ner. Ner ner. Ner ner ner ner. Ner ner ner ner ner ner nerrrrrr nerrrrrr. Shark anyone? (yes that was my attempt at trying to write the theme tune to Jaws...obvious really). Welcome once more fellow travellers to the grave to another episode in the continuing adventures of Kamikaze! and bien venue (I think that's French for something) to Anyone For Shark? Well, yes please, me for one. Anyone For Shark are a flesh rippingly awesome blues funk collective, a killer Bees if you like (the band the Bees, not the honey producing furry critters...although the lead singer was sporting a little facial fuzz...maybe he really is a bee in disguise?). Hot damn these guys are funky when they get in the groove - listen to Onepoundsfifty on their MySpace page. Awesome. The talent we've got in our fair city never ceases to amaze me, and AFS are right up there with the very best. Gigbeth organisers are you listening? Anyone For Shark? on the main stage...headlining...on the opening night...no excuses. Not for the last time this evening I found myself prising open the old wallet to buy a CD...

Next up Bom & His Magic Drumstick (check out his MySpace page...genius). They say there's a fine line between madness and genius. Bom takes this line and twists it into strange animal shapes, like those balloon modelling people. Then he brings these animals to life in a weird, never ending scary tale that continues at every gig he does. I saw him a few years back and remember that he divided the audience into two camps - those who love the eccentricity of it all and those who find keep muttering 'What the fuck?' to themsleves and he did the same tonight. Suffice to say I fell into the former camp. The vision of Hilary Clinton's smile spreading so wide that her head splits open revealing a giant arachnid with laser beam eyes that does battle with a huge mad mouse will stay with me for ever...

After the madness of King Bom, we were treated to the magnificence of Queen Vix and her Kix. Regular readers will know how much I love this band - great vocals, classy pop with a grungy underbelly and lashings of glamour - and last night's set was another fine performance with, I think I'm right in saying, two new tracks - Hero and Radio. It's good to hear some new stuff - now we need the album. What's that? They've done one? It's coming out in the spring. Oh deep joy. They're gigging a fair bit over the next few weeks so you can get yourself a Vix and Kix fix too.

Finally Kate Goes. Fittingly tonight Kate went over the Rainbow ('cos it was at the Rainbow Pub...clever eh?). If you've not seen them before (what have you been doing darlings?) at each gig Kate (the lead singer's called Kate) and the band 'go' somewhere by dressing up in home made costumes. A sort of musical Mr Benn...or Miss Benn in this case. I was lucky enough to see and be entranced by their first ever gig (I think) at the Jug of Ale a while back. From the very few lines of Heartbeat I knew they were special and lo...they are. Finally the rest of the world is catching up and they've just done a Radio One session with someone called Huw Stevens (whatever happened to Dave Lee Travis?). It's hard to describe what they sound like, but imagine the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band taking over Sesame Street and you might be close. Capable of sounding as sweet as an angel or as kick ass as Amanda from the Dresden Dolls (bits of the vocal and keyboard stuff reminded me of the Dolls in places) Kate is a lyrical genuis. If the only song she'd ever written was Heartbeat that would be enough...but she keeps writing the stuff. It's deceptively simple but then some of the best music ever written is just that. From here on in Kate Goes wherever she and the rest of the band want...

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I keep forgetting to mention the DJ's who play at Kamikaze! every week...which is most naughty of me. This weeks lot, The Sugarfoot Stomp DJ's, were one of the best we've had so far too. A million miles away from indie disco, and a gloriously refreshing change, they specialise in an altogether classier era...the 1920's - 1960's. Your Doris Day's and Edith Piaf's, Big Bands and exotica...that kinda thing. Respect due for playing the Mohammed Rafi track from Ghost World too (it's on their My Space page) - Bollywood meets Gene Krupa...simply divine (may I recommend a bit of Patti Plinko and her boy next time as well...not strictly 1920's - 1960's but darn fine...). You can catch them at The Bulls Head in Moseley on Thursday 28th February...or hopefully at Kamikaze! again soon (that's a hint by the way). Until the next time then...altogether now...'We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when...'