Thursday 23/09/04 The Dead 60s @ The Roadhouse, Manchester

If there is one rule in rock 'n' roll it's that if you ignore the zeitgeist you're on to a winner. It's a who dares wins kinda thing. Who would have thought that playing a brilliantly crafted version of The Specials and post first album Clash- all ska/dub/funk with punk edge would work in 2004?

Thank **** it does. Thank **** someone has given the over-used Sixties a swerve and dug into a more creative era for inspiration. The Dead 60s are perhaps the best upcoming band in Britain right now. Their last single just missed the top 40 and their new one 'Riot Radio' looks like being a proper full on hit. They pack out the Roadhouse with most fresh faced crowd of up for it student types I've seen for a long time and they play 10 short sharp songs that are sharper than their stage togs.

They look the part and they sound the part and they manage of to mash together the soul power of Strummer with the Specials spooky ska experimentation. Every song is a dubbed-out invitation to dance with its own powerhouse groove: a melee of ska bounciness, a crack rhythm section bringing the dub, a wiry intense vocalist and a seriously brilliant keyboard kicking off with the sort of scratchy telecaster guitar that is crucial for this stuff.

The dead 60s are truly special.

Photo by Ged Camera