Friday 30/09/05 Misty’s Big Adventure @ Barfly, Liverpool

"Dear Jesus…" begins Grandmaster Gareth, the patriarch of this mixed crew, before Misty's Big Adventure launch into their eponymous signature tune. These aren’t your usual bread and butter indie band. They are a cross between a jazz band, a slightly demented children’s book, and a father explaining life’s little mysteries to his children; using an array of their toys. The Zutons can’t get enough of them. They waltz and whistle, make you jump around to songs about needing two brains, inconvenient pets, splitting the audience into donkeys and monkeys, and an ode to George Bush, 'Evil', which has to be the most literate hoe-down of all the anti-bush songs floating around today. The band themselves are crowded onto the stage; all eight of them, with the brass section putting a united front either side of the chain-smoking Gareth. There is no conflict of ideas; they’re all orbiting in the same solar hi-fi system.

 

The talents of Erotic Volvo – their very own dancer that was dreamt by Gareth – have to be mentioned. Wearing his hooded floor-length red gown covered in blue hands he doesn’t stop for the whole gig, even when lying on the floor there is some convoluted shaking going on. Managing to scare some of the audience while amusing the rest. But they’re not just gimmicks. In between the skewed worldview and surrealism there are moments of tenderness that can touch you more than any stool bound solo singer wishes he could. In 'Remember Me A Song' especially, there are lines that stop you in your tracks, or mid silly dance, and it occurs to you how the obscure references and bizarre imagery is just a reflection of the absurdity of life in general. This is a band to take seriously, regardless of how much fun you are having.