The Nude Party are a six piece from North Carolina, who have drawn attention due to their fusion of neo-psychedelia, folk and country in a heady mixture that leaves fans dancing, in awe and compelled all at the same time. Tonight they grace Manchester’s Soup Kitchen courtesy of local promoters Strange Days who know a good band when they see one.
Tonight’s set is comprised mostly of songs from their self-titled album which was released at the tail end of last year and sprung them to public attention. They open with the hearty duo of ‘Stampede’ and ‘Paper Trial’ which have both provocative lyrics and a stomping beat. It doesn’t take long for the crowd to get into the swing of things and start moving along rhythmically. ‘Astral Man’ is a stand out track mid set with its haunting countenance, feel good vibe and all round foot tapper. ‘Live Like Me’ and ‘Gringo Che’ also show a depth to the band that some modern bands just can’t portray, with deeply political lyrics delivered in a way that makes them accessible and even enjoyable. ‘Chevrolet Man’ completes the set and there aren’t many people who aren’t dancing by the end. They leave the stage and a chorus of “one more song” takes hold of the venue, they duly oblige with two more and a round of very genuine thank you’s to the appreciative crowd. ‘Wild Coyote’ sees them start with a round of wolf howls before breaking into the song properly. It’s the one everyone was waiting to hear and it does not disappoint. A technical issue means the bassist has to air-bass the last part but it’s all delivered with a playful attitude and a smile which endears them to the crowd even more.
After discovering this band, I couldn’t wait to see them live which can sometimes result in disappointment due to the weight of expectation, but they sure delivered tonight – until the next time.
