Dead Cat Bounce

Animal lovers rest assured you will see no dead cats bouncing at this show. What you will see, though, is a bunch of happy customers bouncing in their seats to the rockin’ tunes of Dead Cat Bounce. Just thinking of this gig makes me want to get a mullet and take up air guitar.

Comprising of four ebullient Irish lads, Dead Cat Bounce dishes up a rockcom with bite. Think Bon Jovi meets Jerry Connolly with a smattering of Mr Hyde complete with smoke machines, tight leopard pants and a hunky lead. Meowww. It’s enough to make a girl become a groupie.

Musically these guys are tight. You know you’re in the hands of consummate professionals when they make it look so easy. Even more impressive they sing a cappella beautifully and have a few boy-band moves up their sleeves. With this sort of talent, you have to wonder why they haven’t taken themselves too seriously and become bonafide rock stars. But Dead Cat Bounce is obviously having way too much fun mocking the rock genre to care and, besides, do we really need another Bono?

In terms of comedy, Dead Cat Bounce provides a range of humour which is probably the result of four comediennes collaborating. I really enjoyed the changeability of the comedy from acerbic to dark to silly.

As talented as these guys are, not every tune hit the mark and it was generally the darker pieces that fell flat. Black humour depends on the juxtaposition of something ghoulish and light-hearted and if the latter is missing then it comes across as simply macabre.   Nonetheless, when these guys get it right, which they do more often than not, it’s the best fun you’re ever gonna have at a rock gig. Some of the highlights: ‘Mary’, ‘Hari Krishnas’, ‘Girls in their thirties’, and ‘The Kick’.

So don’t waste the next few weeks practicing air guitar in your bedroom. Get down to Roxanne and see the real deal with a huge comedy riff to boot. You won’t be disappointed.