There has been much hype surrounding this Florida five piece since the band formed in Jacksonville in 2006. Tonight is no exception. It is one of two dates at the swanky Institute of Contemporary Arts which sold out in a matter of hours.
The crowd, largely consisting of art house types and er kids eagerly await the band who have been dubbed by Rolling Stone as “one of the ten best new bands for 2008.” The pressure is definitely on, and you can tell.
Bassist Owen Holmes slopes on stage looking nervous and homesick, as they jump into their set to the strains of Fleetwood Mac’s “Big Love”. The first couple of songs are pretty non-descript and rock journalist extraordinaire Mark Ellen (and current editor of Word magazine) didn’t look phased. Where have the comparisons to the bouncy Go!Team and New Young Pony Club gone. Can they redeem themselves tonight?
Front man Reggie Youngblood apologises to the crowd. “We are really tired, we were writing songs all day yesterday or we may just be drunk…” He leaves the sentence open-ended.
But then, Dawn, Ali, Kevin and Owen perk up. Reggie jokes: “I have a hair in my mouth and it is not mine..eeeuw.” That raises a bit of a smirk from the crowd.
Reggie’s sister Ali, on vocals and keyboards is also a bit cheeky and compliments her brother throughout the set. Reggie says: “We have got two more songs…” and Ali rolling her eyes seductively at the crowd says: “And it is way past my bedtime…”
I check my watch and it is just past 10pm. Before their final song which sounds a bit like David Bowie’s “Modern Love”, the band play their debut single which has the ridiculously long title (or I am just getting too old?) “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You,” and the quite excellent “I Wanna Be Your Limousine” which is funky and has elements of Prince in his heyday.
“I Think I’ve Underestimated My Charm Again” is another musical highlight to tonight’s proceedings.
They are undoubtedly fun in the way that bands like CSS and New Young Pony Club are - with their mis-matched, brightly coloured clothes akin to the Scooby Doo era and their heavy borrowings from 80s pop. But the Black Kids have a long way to go if they want to achieve pop sustainability.