NXNE 2008: Kakkmaddafakka @ The El Mocombo
By: Peter Bremner
If their name isn't interesting enough, six-piece ensemble Kakkamaddafakka took to the stage at the El Mocambo on Saturday night, and illustrated to the NXNE'rs in attendance just how interesting things can get when six Norwegians overtake a venue armed with a guitar, drums, cello, tenor sax, a headless bass, stage presence, and energy that's raw, honest, and truly unique. Needless to say, that's pretty damn interesting.
Making a spirited entrance complete with jumping, waving, shouting and RUN-DMC telling everyone "It's like that" in the background certainly sets a tone. Fortunately, agreeable tones are Kakkmaddafakka's business, and their theatrical, highly musical and extremely whimsical approach make listening to their unconventional sounds even more of an experience; a relative buffet of cabaret, vaudeville, punkrock, rhymerock, classical, ska, and even a bit of country - ballsy, risky, but good, as the players can play to back it up. Everything they create make sense, and in-turn ensure undivided attention from the captivated crowd.
There was lots of storytelling and explanations of song titles like "Next Song" and "You're cool" and then rocketing into madman music with a raging cello. The Norwegians were crooning about, well, everything. This is what Kakkmaddafakka is all about.
If this show was a little later, the doors would have been blown off the El Mocambo with absolute certainty. Since it was a bit earlier, Kakkmaddafakka kept the doors on, but also turned the inside of the Elmo into a truly unique educational experience for the NXNE folk. A great start to the all important Saturday night.
Click here to read more of SoundProof's NXNE 2008 festival coverage
