Capdown
Live at Cockpit on Tuesday, 23rd October 2007
Tonight's support are nearly as good as the headliners. The King Blues have got the mixture of ska, punk, and politic bashing down to a fine art, and pour so much raw energy into their performance it is hard for anyone present to stand still.
Not only content with singing about the world as it is, they are actively involved in projects in their homelands of East and South London. They have even been given ASBOs for attempting to play their music in London's financial district. Do they look like they give a shit? No.
'Come Fi Di Youth' is heavy with the dub sound, but other tracks vary from this by the inclusion of a ukulele and plastic melodica. This may look a little comical, but the sound is top quality and very tight.
Tension is high for Capdown's last appearance in Leeds Fair City, as the lads are calling it a day after ten years. Always seeming to tour, this is the first time I have seen a full set of theirs, as festival shows don't do them any justice. They are at home in a venue this size.
Singer Jake Sims-Fielding is not well, and this comes across in his voice as he tries to sing. It does add a harshness to their sound, but I bet he'll be glad of the rest when their last tour ends in their home town of Milton Keynes on November 9th.
Getting the ska element by just the added saxophone from Sims-Fielding, added vocals come from Keith Minter. Many dedications are handed out tonight, mainly to each of the band members, like 'Positivity' for bassist Robin "Boob" Goold.
There's the usually crowd involvement; saying Leeds is the best at chanting / singing along / best city and the splitting of the crowd in too to battle it out for best-side-of-the-room-title, but it's all done with raw energy that will be sorely missing from the punk scene now they are leaving. 'Ska Wars' is a great final track to wave them goodbye to.
