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Connan Mockasin, Camp, London

Live Reviews

Essentially Connan returns music to what it should be: fun.

Old Street's City Arts and Music Project venue has, since opening, played host to a plethora of well hyped, yet sonically substantial, bands. Following on from the likes of Wild Nothing, Male Bonding and Toro Y Moi comes Connan Mockasin, who it seems is rather like opening a musical Pandora's box: sonic gem after gem can be found within his catalogue.

The saying that a three-legged dog is still a dog, so if a band is without a member it is still a band, is put to good use tonight; the band's bassist is ill, so Connan enrols Alex Hewett of Egyptian Hip Hop to fill the role, which he does with aplomb. Indeed, it must be said that his Parliament / Funkadelic bass lines oddly complement the sun-blessed 60s psychedelia-folk-jazz that Connan and co. play.

The set consists of just five songs, though these are extended well beyond their length on debut album 'Please Turn Me Into The Snat'. The crowd laps it up too, some more inebriated than others, and it is certainly not often that you see the soundman bopping along behind the safety of his sounddesk. Perhaps tonight's technical difficulties, which plague the opening song 'Faking Jazz Together', can be blamed on his dancing - but who could possibly fail to forgive him.

Indeed the night brings forth all elements that have given Connan Mockasin an almost cult following - gentle meandering hooks, a wonderful voice of near freakish abilities and bongos; his stage presence is strong without proving overly imposing. Essentially Connan returns music to what it should be: fun. Yes, there are some bum notes and the occasional technical hitch, but they just add to the charm. Rating: 8/10