Most bands like to think they’re pushing boundaries and offering something unique – even the most obvious rip-off merchants who may as well just market themselves as a tribute band will be unlikely to come forward and admit they’re anything but original.
But it’s rare that you find a band that actually brings something totally new and innovative to the table. Toxic Funk Berry are such a band. The North London threesome’s live shows are somewhat unusual and certainly inventive, fusing funk beats and storming drums with laptop produced samples and keys. The result is a slick, electronica dance set which, thanks to the acoustic drum kit and intermittent rock-tinged guitars, is somewhat impossible to categorise. Yes influences from the likes of Prodigy and Hot Chip are present but by no means overpowering.
The one negative of the gig, if you were being picky, is the venue and crowd didn’t quite live up to the band. When a gig runs a little late you can lose some of the earlier crowd and while this gig was by no means empty you couldn’t help but get the feeling that with a jam packed, sweaty dancefloor or better yet a heaving festival crowd, the full effect of TFB would be felt. Still, it won’t be long before these guys are playing to huge crowds so they shouldn’t worry too much.
