One of the best live gigs I’ve seen over the past few years was Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds at the Spiegeltent in Sydney back in 2014. While aware of Kid Congo Power’s incredible C.V., I was not too familiar with Power’s new band and knew not what to expect. What I witnessed was one of the most euphoric, uplifting performances I had ever witnessed – Kid Congo is the ultimate front man with his arch wit and self-deprecating style backed by a band so cool it made the stifling heat of a Sydney summer bearable. It is pleasurable indeed to be won over by a band on the strength of its live performance alone.
Of course it bears reminding exactly what Power’s CV consists of – he has at various times been guitarist for bands such as The Cramps, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and The Gun Club. His style can best be described as a fuzzy garageband blast mixed with a sexy voodoo charm – at the point where Screaming Jay Hawkins meets Nick Cave at a cabaret.
Press Play has just announced a string of Australian gigs for Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds in May, and I should add that it is extremely pleasing to see most corners of the land downunder are being covered by this tour:
Wednesday, 9 May – Mojo’s, Perth – Tickets
Thursdsay, 10 May – Crown & Anchor, Adelaide – Tickets
Friday, 11 May – Theatre Royal, Castlemaine – Tickets
Saturday, 12 May – Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne – Tickets
Sunday, 13 May – Brisbane Hotel, Hobart – Tickets
Friday, 18 May – Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney – Tickets
Saturday, 19 May – The Foundry, Brisbane – Tickets
Sunday, 20 May – Blues on Broadbeach Festival, Broadbeach
Tickets available through the links above. Here’s a taste from last year’s joyous single, ‘Spider Baby”:
