Sunday 13th September 2009 @ Thekla, Bristol

Ukuleles have been having a surge of popularity over the past few years. They were never that fashionable and equated more of a comical or Hawaiian vision than anything smooth and stylish - until now! I mean every kid with overgrown hair wants a Uke don’t they? Don’t they? Mississippi singer strummers Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele have embraced the instrument with Dent playing on the wonder and the rest of the band bashing tambourines on drums, strumming and lots of rhythmic  ooohs and aaaahhs – like The Beach Boys with a bit of cement in their blood.

NY University Film school guy, Dent’s kitshy ‘New Yurk’ style and unafraid 50s/60s/00s sound is pretty darn good. Using the geek glasses as his quirky/ cool group’s armour, or perhaps because he really is a hardened geek, Dent is quite the spindly, talented chap. Bathed in American retro and Clark Gable’s Gone With The Wind wardrobe (with a wink to Flight of the Concords and a hefty clink of glasses with Buddy Holly, The Divine Comedy and Gerry and The Pacemakers) the band, specifically Dent, are binding the 50s gentlemanly image with the cool, deep thinker boy of now, and they’re doing very well; touring the world with the power of four strings. Joy givers they certainly are, or would be if there were more than 26 tickets sold tonight – shame, I truly believe these guys are very talented, intelligent and enjoyable to watch.

The harmonising lumberjacks were comically/unfortunately also in the presence tonight of some wasted ‘boyz’ on the town. After dancing around with toilet roll, they began to have a small punch up/hug fest. Gaps between songs were punctuated with abuse, before they were removed. Amusing as it was (and it was!) and as much as the band cackled at them as they drank their Famous Grouse, no! LISTEN TO DENT MAY! See songs Oh Paris, I’m An Alcoholic, You Can’t Force A Dance Party, Love Song 2009…they are new, delicious and underrated.

www.dentmay.com

Helen Martin