Live Review: Melbourne Ska Orchestra, Foreigndub Sound System, DJ Kilmarnock Steve

It's not often you see a venue full so early on, but the crowd at the Factory Theatre on Saturday night was as eager as a beaver to get in early for the Melbourne Ska Orchestra on the last night of their Diplomat tour.

Dressed to impress in buttoned up Fred Perry shirts, smart trousers and trilby hats, the noticeably older and distinctly English crowd poured into the venue as soon as DJ Kilmarnock Steve took to the decks, playing a great mix of ska, reggae and soul music, all on 7” records – a real treat to see these days.

Next up, duo Foreigndub Sound System were a bit of a disconnect, spending most of the set fussing about with their equipment and wandering around the stage with a sense of importance greater than their music choices. After a few reggae numbers, the lights went out and the crowd erupted in a roar.

Out of the darkness, a spotlight fell on the crowd and the sound of a megaphone and trumpets drew everyone's attention to the middle of the room as the Melbourne Ska Orchestra (MSO) weaved and snaked amongst them, playing an instrumental intro as they made their way in procession to the stage. The 20-odd strong band filled the small stage to its edges with drums, keys, bass and a full brass section, replete with MSO big band flags. Every member was dressed for the occasion in smart suits, skinny ties, trilby hats and sunglasses like a super cool ska gangster squad.

MSO bound into first track, Get Smart, lead man Nicky Bomba full of energy as he bounced around the stage like a mad conductor. Singer Pat Powell joined them for next song, Lygon Street Meltdown, looking and sounding like a Jamaican Barry White, complete with all the moves.

In a tribute to ska legends The Specials, A Message To You Rudy was next, sending the crowd into rapturous singing, clapping and skanking (that's ska dancing by the way). After a short history lesson on the foundations of ska from Bomba, a few more tracks from the new self-titled album followed including hit single, The Best Things In Life Are Free.

Singer Rebecca Ari came to the stage to much delight from the men in the crowd in a tight '60s style floral dress with big bouffant hair, swaying her hips to new single, The Diplomat, before a cover of The Chordettes' Lollipop. Bomba then took back the lead with an epic drum solo before moving onto the steel drums for Paradiso, showing just how talented this guy is.

In another nod to the ska greats, a cover of Madness's Night Boat To Cairo closed the set as the MSO jumped on their chairs, threw their instruments and rolled around on the floor like crazed rockers. A huge applause brought them back on stage for an encore of While You Wait before a medley of more classics including The Wailers' Simmer Down and Toots & The Maytals' Monkey Man finished the set. A big 'hats off' to one of the most interactive and captivating bands around.