Review by Steve Bennett

Comedy and music do not always make the best bedfellows. Poor gags are often shored up by jolly tunes, or poor musicianship passed off as comedy.

But Irish comic Kevin Gildea and his band are trying to do something different.

This is more like comedy as jazz, freeform ideas and traditional, if dark, stand-up diatribes set to a deliciously sleazy backing beat.

As comedy, it's not laugh-out-loud stuff - though it has its moments. But then again, it's not really trying to be.

It's all about the vibe - a packed, smoky venue late at night, soulful tunes and (mostly) laid-back comedy. A fusion of spoken word, comedy and music, taking up the creative baton left by the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.

It ought to be on much later, really, and the show we saw didn't have the audience to generate the right atmosphere to fully do justice to the imaginative concept.

As much as the word 'interesting' can be the kiss of death in a comedy review, that's exactly what this moody show is. It's well done, and exactly the sort of original idea that ought to get an airing at the Fringe - just don't expect to soil yourself laughing.

Review date: 1 Jan 2001
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett