Samba Blue Galaxy uploaded to Flickr by Platform 3
Went to The Zodiac on Friday night to catch up with the latest Sol Samba grooves. Unfortunately arrived just after the opening act Puño de Dios had finished. By all accounts it was my loss as the people I spoke to were unanimous in their praise for their set.
A few years back, I attended a Sol Samba beginner’s course which was educational. I also cut the rug a few times in the samba dance class. Also, Kate played in the band for some time, so it was high fives all round with several current Sol Samba members as well as a whole heap of erstwhile Sol sambistas who were in the audience.
I last saw them perform at the Cowley Road Carnival in July 2006 but I missed the last Sol Samba gig at the Zodiac last June. They usually get a good crowd at their Zodiac shows who never fail to bring their dancing shoes. I was impressed by the tunes that Sol Samba played which were new to me and had some neat additions such as some vocals and some new/different grooves.
Next up were the headliners, The Destroyers, a bonkers, 15 member, Eastern Europe inspired collective who put on an enjoyable show replete with many funny hats. They are playing near you (if you live in England, Wales or Nth Ireland anyway). I captured part of a number which featured a Lynch-esque fellow adding vocals which you can see in the embedded video below. Da-di-da-da-da…HEY!