The Phenomenal Handclap Band – Fabric, London, 03/07/09

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Picture via Myspace

Fabric may not be the best location for an aspiring band looking to entice a new audience – what with the crowd consisting of a few enthusiasts, many confused drum and bass fans and a small number so caught up in their own state of inebriation that they didn’t even realise that there was a band playing.

Yet even the most intoxicated were given a metaphorical slap in the face when the Phenomenal Handclap Band arrived on stage, a soulful team of eight, laden with synths, tambourines and some serious shimmying skills.
At first glance the band appeared to be some kind of male backed girl band, with the men seemingly hiding behind their bass, keyboard, drum kit and two guitars so as to let the two harmonious young ladies take centre stage with their powerful voices and occasional free spirited shake of their tambourines.

Yet as the gig progressed it became increasingly clear that this band was an entirely equal effort, each member taking centre stage at one point throughout the performance and all adding their particular style into the mix, giving the impression of a house of cards that would instantly tumble to the floor if any one was removed.

The two founding members of this handclapping goodness are Daniel Collás and Sean Marquand, two former underground New York DJ’s who grew tired of playing other peoples music and decided to produce something truly original. And original they are to both the eyes and ears, vibrating the crowds with tracks such as ’15 to 20’ and ‘All Of The Above’, leading the audience to forget their thoroughly modern surroundings and commence to jive like its 1965.

An unavoidably catchy combination of progressive soul, rock and funk left both the band and the audience producing psychedelic moves that their parents would have been proud of. The sultry, calm vocals of Joan Tick and Laura Marin provided a dreamlike aura while the enthusiastic leg kicks and posterior shaking of the remaining band made their funky sound that much more irresistible.

A performance that would be more at home alongside Sly & The Family Stone and The Mamas & the Papas at Woodstock than in the sweaty stone walls of Fabric, this band definitely deserve a hand clap or two.

The Phenomenal Handclap Band on Myspace