Aye ‘N’ Aye make good impressions

Feb 24 2009 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

DIVERSE up-and-coming Perth talents were looking forward optimistically yesterday after making an impression on home turf.

Reggae and ska exponents Aye ‘N’ Aye featured recently at the Late Lounge in Watergate with their own take on the music of the islands.

The band’s lead vocalist Claire McCulloch has a fabulous voice and sings from the heart.

Assisted by Laura Carse on backing vocals and percussion, she rattles out genre standards such as Monkey Man and Get Up, Stand Up with a genuine passion that pays tribute to the likes of Toots & The Maytals and Bob Marley, while still maintaining a style that is all her own.

Helping Claire capture the very essence of the music is a truly impressive backing line-up driven by the irresistible pulse of Levon Gray’s bass, overlaid by a gutsy horn section that includes Richard Merchant on trumpet, Jack Flower (sax) and Mark MacSporran (trombone).

Levon’s brother Ryan provides the essential reggae beat while guitarist Robert Maddy fills it all with hypnotic rhythm punctuated with jangling melodies.

Put it all together and you have a sound that could have come straight from some back-street club in Jamaica.

Aye ‘N’ Aye supported Bad Manners in Cupar last Saturday and are involved in a project in Glasgow which could see some of the biggest names in reggae, ska and two-tone joining them on stage.

In August, they’ll open the annual AMoS festival at Greyfriars Bar in Perth’s South Street, an event planned to coincide with the release of their eagerly anticipated first single.

After that? Who knows, but we’ll all surely be hearing more of this outfit.

Providing support at Late Lounge was another highly respected local band, Humble Hobos.

Although missing a couple of members, the band’s frontmen Aaron Brake and Chris Woods easily managed to warm up an appreciative crowd with a country-rock set that included John Fogarty’s Bad Moon Rising and the Johnny Cash classic Ring Of Fire.

The set’s highlight was the self-penned Stepping Stone, which has been chosen to feature on a best of album from last year’s North by North East Festival in Toronto, Canada.

When they are not playing prestigious events like NXNE, Humble Hobos are kept busy with local gigs including regular appearances at Mucky Mulligans.

In May they’ll be at Perth’s Ice Factory for the launch of new Scottish label Zine Records and they’re also playing the AMoS festival.

An album is planned for next year and an EP is available for download.

Details at www.myspace.com/thehumblehobos