Skinny Lister - A band to keep an eye on

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These Folk will keep you dancing all night 

Skinny Lister **** Part of our job when going to review a band is to research they beforehand, have an idea of what you are going to see. Its only professional courtesy isn’t it when you think about it. Well that’s the plan but occasionally that does not happen and we turn up a bit cold and you wonder what you are in for. That was my situation with Skinny Lister, who were on  a double bill with Beans on Toast.

I won’t bore you as to why I neglected my duties prior the gig other than it involved children breaking bones and Wi-Fi deciding not working was the best plan. But do you know what I am actually glad I didn’t know what was coming. Beans on Toast offered his political discourse and so I expected something similar maybe on the Folk spectrum. Well it was certainly on the Folk spectrum but not at the end of it I expected it to be.

From the very first song, ‘Wanted’, it was wonderfully bonkers and that was the appeal in hindsight in getting a wonderful surprise, it was a wow what’s this moment.  The whole crowd were dancing to the amazingly upbeat tunes from opening song onwards of Skinny Lister’s set while the front woman was like whirling dervish on the stage seemingly controlled by the music, well she was on stage some of the time, others she decided sitting atop the crowd was a better idea.

The sound is a wonderful mix of Folk and Punk which is extremely infectious and you can’t stay still while watching. Skinny Lister are their own wonderful beast but  for a reference it would be The Pogues at their most raucous. There were some less Punky number too such as ‘Devil in Me’, and a nod to the season in ‘Christmas Calls’ and ‘This Christmas’ where Beans on Toast joined the encore for a final couple of numbers.

Along with the music, there was also a lot of crowd interaction, at one point a flagon of unknown liquid was passed around, but I missed out on it’s contents (happy to stick to my cider thanks). It was a night of unknowns in one sense, so many apologies to Skinny Lister for me not knowing you before but I certainly do now and certainly also plan on seeing you again.  

Review by Jon Cooper, Photos by Steve Owen

Check Out! the Video for 'Trouble on Oxford Street' Below...