Brum Shots

Call your mates, grab a pint and get ready for a night of dancing. Because Skinny Lister are back in town!

It certainly feels like a Friday night when they burst on stage. Their first Brum show in 5 years is held at the charming Castle & Falcon pub in Balsall Heath, the perfect sized venue for their token brand of sing-a-long fun mixed with a slight bit slight chaos…

Accordion and double bass at the ready, the 5-piece certainly emit a unique presence as they limber up, preparing for what is to come. And from the first notes, the natural warmth of the venue descends into pandemonium.

From old favourites ‘Forty Pound Wedding’ and their lively cover of ‘John Kanaka’ to their latest release, ‘Set Us Straight,’ the crowd aren’t shy to sing along with full pelt.

In between songs, the band are all laughs and banter. Whether they’re running a bet on how long it will take for vocalist Dan Heptinstall to get too warm for his shirt or making dodgy puns about song names, they do so with an attitude that makes the whole audience feel as though they’re among friends.

‘Some bitch called Rachel wants an arm wrestle,’ front-woman Lorna Thomas shouts gleefully, hopping into the crowd for ‘Arm Wrestling In Dresden.’ She re-emerges on stage victorious and leads the dancing before passing her signature flagon of booze round the audience.

It’s fair to say that almost all of the 80 minute set is consistent and unbridled joy. The roar of the crowd that greets the accordion introduction of ‘This Is War’ is a particular highlight. But closing number – the perfectly sing-a-long-able ‘Six Whiskeys’ – brings slight drama when Lorna’s crowd-surfing results in an injured audience member and a rather abrupt ending to an otherwise brilliant show.

Skinny Lister coined the term ‘Shanty Punk’ to describe their distinctive folk-indie-punk sound, so it’s not completely clear what the definition of the genre is. But if tonight’s show didn’t tick all of the boxes, then I’m at a loss at what would!