It's Valentine's Day!
After six years of playing as The Wildbunch, Detroit disco-rockers Electric 6 broke into the mainstream thanks to the incendiary 'Danger! High Voltage!' on the 2 Many DJs compilation. Think Soulwax, think EMF, think retro 80s guitar rock with keyboards and disco-funk and think 'should've been the first great number one of 2003' (damn Popstars). In any case, the upstairs of the Zodiac is sold out, which is an impressive feat given the band are generally only known for one song.
There is more to E6 than just 'High Voltage' though. Charismatic frontman Dick Valentine puts on a real performance, and unlike the anonymous support band, E6 know how to work a crowd "Is Chelsea Clinton here tonight?" Showcasing brand new song 'Computer' and forthcoming single 'Gay Bar' alongside old favourites 'Dance Commander' and 'I Lost Control (of My Rock & Roll)' the crowd are won over, and who'd have thought such a happy mosh would take place 'I've got something to put in you / At the gay bar'?
Of course, the song everyone's here for is 'Danger!' Introduced with a sales spiel from the guitarist encouraging us to buy official E6 lighters "cos you can burn shit"; the crowd go wild from the opening bars, and Dick strips out of his suit to reveal a "Sexy & Rich" T-shirt.
It's quite a short set, at about 40 minutes, but they come back for a much-demanded encore. After apologising for George W, and a brief Audiobullys spoof in the style of William Shatner, they launch into a full-blown cover of Queen's 'Radio GaGa' and a singalong 'I Love Rock & Roll' again dedicated to George W. A triumph.
It seems like ages since Ox2 devoted enough coverage to student bands. But with OUSU's Battle of the Bands less than a week away, down the road at The Cellar seems like a good place to start.
Problem is, though, Token White Boy aren't your average student band. Sure, the four members are all students but the music they make is somewhat different to what one might expect. "We've got a bassist who wants to be a rock star, a drummer from Brazil and two classically trained musicians who like to play a bit of jazz" summarises drummer Pedro Machado after tonight's gig. And play jazz they do, and damn good jazz it is as well, managing to fill the dancefloor by midway through the first track.
The venue and tonight's atmosphere are ideal for TWB, giving the gig an intimate, laid-back, smiley vibe. What is most impressive is the manner in which the band take all this in their stride.
"We enjoy it a lot, but if we look out at the audience and they're having more fun than us there's something wrong", claims keyboard/guitar player Baldwin Li. This kind of professionalism, coupled with the band's image, charisma and obvious talent means Token White Boy could keep Oxford dancing for some time to come.
To book Token White Boy for gigs, bops or balls e-mail: tokenwhiteboy@tokenwhiteboy.com
6th Feb 2003