Gig 2: Goldfish / Kensington Roof Gardens / 25.06.11 (daytime)

I lost my Goldfish virginity on the 25th June 2011.
The band is simply incredible.
Playing INDOORS at a 1.5 acre roof garden venue on a particularly hot summers day sounds like a recipe for disaster. Who is going to head indoors when they can sip overpriced pimms on slinky sofas outside?
Nearly everyone it seems.

Goldfish are Dom Peters (Double bass, Keys, Groove box) and David Poole (Tenor & Soprano sax, samplers, effects and mixing).

It wasn’t just the venue that was against them for this gig – the band had flown over from Ibiza to play.
On the way through customs, the airport security had confiscated their instruments. So they’d had to beg, borrow and steal to even play this gig.

They’ve quite clearly got a following from their home, South Africa. It didn’t take me TOO long to realise I was surrounded by ‘Safa’s. All of them were there to see their nation’s finest export (except perhaps Tolkien and white wine.)

From the moment the band started playing, the room filled. The atmosphere turned electric. Boy does this band know how to play a crowd. Everyone was dancing.
They’re sort of an electronic/dance/jazz band – kind of a mixture of Fatboy Slim’s big beats and Mr Scruff scratch jazz – but with live instruments and loop pedals.

By the time they’d finished their set and the venue was kicking us out – I was a convert.
I turned to my South African friend who looked particularly glum.
‘Well that was rubbish’ he said.
‘They’re usually much better than that live.’

Roll on next time Goldfish – you’ve got my hook, line and sinker.