Posted on December 5, 2009 - by Imelda

New York Dolls + Urban Voodoo Machine

New York Dolls © Imelda Michalczyk

The HMV Forum
London, UK
Friday 4th December 2009

I first heard of the Urban Voodoo Machine a year ago, when I asked Vic Ruggiero (of The Slackers) what current bands he recommended, fully anticipating/hoping to be directed to some obscure New York underground act. Instead he sang the praises of this unusual, boundary-defying act from London’s Dalston. Tonight is the third time I’ve seen them live and they get better with each show and really benefit from a big stage like that of The Forum.

Urban Voodoo Machine © Imelda Michalczyk

The ten members are sharply dressed in their traditional red and black and steam through a set lurching between devilish blues and stomping rock and roll, with lyrics revolving around death, betrayal and drinking. Fascinating and slightly eerie – the sort of act you wouldn’t be surprised to glimpse in a scene from a David Lynch film.

Stand out tracks include the single ‘Always Out’ and finale ‘Down In A Hole’. Strong on entertainment factor, singer Paul-Ronney Angel deftly leads proceedings, but every member of the band has a trick up their sleeve. From playing instruments as unwieldy as accordions and double basses behind their heads (rather than just the usual guitar) to a two-drummer set up who jump and dance around the drums and each other.

The set draws heavily from the current album “Bourbon Soaked Gypsy Blues Bop’n’Stroll” (presumably thus titled to save reviewers everywhere the headache of working out how to pigeon-hole them).

The crowd is a little less lively than deserved, however I see a lot of slightly bewildered but nevertheless amused expressions around me. UVM has something rather special to offer – it will be interesting to see how their journey unfolds.

The legendary New York Dolls take to the stage with 1973’s ‘Looking For A Kiss’ before diving straight into the title track from this year’s “Cause I Sez So” album, making it clear this tour allows for the necessary nostalgia but is equally a platform for their new material.

Credited with being punk before punk was even invented and influencing a massive array of substantial artists that followed, it’s refreshing to see that the Dolls are not just relying on their early work to carry the show.

The current line up features two of the original members: singer David Johansen and guitarist Sylvain Sylvain. Guitarist

New York Dolls © Imelda Michalczyk

Steve Conte, drummer Brian Delaney and former Hanoi Rocks bass guitarist Sami Yaffa complete the line up. However it’s easy to feel it’s somewhat of a two-hander show, with Jagger-esque Johansen swaggering and smiling and behatted Sylvain posing with his guitar and teasing the audience.

The crowd is clearly dominated by long-standing fans and, as such, appears slightly reverential – even an early stage invader mostly seems to just want to stand next to singer Johansen and grin until he’s encouraged to leave.

With a setlist including ‘Subway’, ‘Bad Girl’ and ‘Jet Boy’ as well as their Bo Diddley cover ‘Pills’, the crowd react warmly.

Sylvian twice wishes us a happy new year, which seems a little premature in early December, but clearly it’s a night of goodwill all around and the band appear relaxed and confident as they dish up the classics alongside fresh material.

Brought back for an encore that ends with the energy raising, horrendously catchy ‘Personality Crisis’ the band leave on a high.