Review: The Urban Voodoo Machine 03.11.2008

#8
Tuesday March 11 2008
The Urban Voodoo Machine
The Red & The Black

Ms. dW and I had a pretty good dinner at R&B well before the show started. We lucked out when they received several boxes of Zapps chips while we were eating (my muffaletta was supposed to come with chips but they were out when I ordered so I had some yummy cajun peanuts instead). We also had sand from their sound-break rain down on us and watched two bartenders trying to get a cat out of the wall. Woo! Tuesday night!
Since it was apparent the show wasn't going to start for a while, we hung out next door at the Palace of Wonders, watching old L&O:SVU eps until it sounded like something was finally going to happen next door around 11pm.
The opening act was burlesque fire act Lady Anna, who is also from London. I couldn't really see much but you could definitely smell the lighter fluid and see the fire breathing.
After that we headed out to the back patio before being overcome by fumes. Talked with a French Creole linguist for a bit.
Then finally the Urban Voodoo Machine came on (about an hour and a half after we had hoped). They were missing their violinist, who had already flown back to London since the two dates with the Pogues were over. I thought it was interesting in a late-90s kinda way. Their music is fun, but not anything we haven't heard or seen before - the matching suits, the zombie makeup, dual drummers, a banjo, a guy dressed like a priest playing the upright bass - you get the idea. I think it might be more fun to see them in a larger, better ventilated venue with a crowd who's really into the music. I definitely know a few people who would really love them though, so if you are one of those people check out their myspace page.