3am Music
CALLING ALL ENTHUSIASTS
"Public Image Ltd would be an obvious comparison to conjure, but with a warm house music replacing the icy soundscapes, musically less bleak but lyrically depicting a blunt urban paranoia, danceable rants aimed at the mad city street sweeper that was Mayor Giuliani and his trail of disinfectant. But it is not just P.I.L. that is exhumed, also other 1980s punk-funk acts, such as 23 Skidoo and the Pop Group, can be heard in there."
Frank Kennedy reviews Radio 4 in concert
COPYRIGHT © 2003, 3 A.M. MAGAZINE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Review of Radio 4 at The Scala, Kings Cross, London 25 February 2003
 Once upon a time people danced. Kids into independent music gathered around stages and beery dancefloors and moved to bands with a lil' roll in their rock and. Then, alas, it ceased. Some blame political change. Some blame a change in recreational drug preference.
We all know it was What's the Story Morning Glory and its pungent aftermath -- Cast, Travis, Coldplay, Starsailor, yawn. But as we reflect, beautiful people are turning up bass, banging pots and pans, grooving. Possibly the most interesting to come of this is the current crop of (mainly) NYC bands that are dragging disco into the mix kicking and screaming. Student Unions all over this land can once again be sweaty. Yeah! Radio 4 has a beat. But fans of the Archers beware -- it is not that Radio 4. Nor is it another of Alan McGee's genre-defying DJ nights in a Notting Hill cupboard. Their debut album, recorded as a three-piece, may have been lost in the pre-NYCool hell, but last year's funky Gotham, recorded as a wide five-piece, attracted mucho acclaim from the magazines. Tonight, new(ish) percussionist left of stage, new (ish) keyboard player right, the original (less animated) three in-between, Radio 4 proceed to charm the beautiful people, and me, in a packed King's Cross Scala.
 Public Image Ltd would be an obvious comparison to conjure, but with a warm house music replacing the icy soundscapes, musically less bleak but lyrically depicting a blunt urban paranoia, danceable rants aimed at the mad city street sweeper that was Mayor Giuliani and his trail of disinfectant. But it is not just P.I.L. that is exhumed, also other 1980s punk-funk acts, such as 23 Skidoo and The Pop Group, can be heard in there. Mark Stewart, ex-vocalist with the latter, makes a guest appearance to further prove this, appearing decidedly uncomfortable and sounding… well, you couldn't really hear him as he yelped along to "Struggle" A brilliant Mission of Burma cover was bashed out. As was most of Gotham: "Our Town", "Eyes Wide Open", and the obvious favourite "Dance to the Underground". Also, a blast of "New Disco" hit it to the audience that they are from NYC, so why not prove it with a blinding surge of CBGBs rock'n'roll. The band is happy. The audience is happy. I need a drink. A warm reception then to the latest agit-pop dance/rock crossover -- just don't even mention Chumbawamba.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Frank Kennedy resides in Ladywell, London. An accomplished bar room philosopher, he studied English at South Bank University
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