The Boat People: C’est Bon!

The Boat People play The Zoo on Thursday. Squeaky Clean is in stores now.

Brizzie boys The Boat People, aside from mixing rock, funk, pop and jazz with staggering ease, are also darn impressive when it comes to putting on a gig. No anonymous “just-another-show” scenario for these blokes. Bassist/vocalist James O’Brien takes up the story.

“Our show will be a French/Parisian themed event entitled Le Plus Grand Du Monde, which translates as The Biggest In The World,” enthuses James. “There will be a massive Parisian cityscape painted behind us, there’s going to be a baguette and a French newspaper on every table in The Zoo and our regular massive sign that says ‘The Boat People’ is going to be altered to ‘Le Boat People’. Also, we’re going to be playing Serge Gainsbourg tunes between sets!”

So, I have to ask, how did such a concept come about?

“Well, in 2000, shortly after changing our name to The Boat People, we took a little working holiday to France and we actually went to jazz festivals around Europe, spent a lot of time in Paris and played a couple of gigs,” James recalls. “And we really just enjoyed the culture there and the role of the musician in Europe and the respect you get over there for being a musician, or an artist or a writer. And I guess we just wanted any kind of excuse to revisit that!”

James then gives me a rundown on the support acts for Thursday’s French-vibed extravaganza, including locals Elsewhere, for whom Le Plus Grand… will be their final show, and Sydney combo Ezmerelda..

In addition, the Boaties have just shot a video clip for From The Corner, from the Squeaky Clean EP, a tune which Triple J have just added to high rotation.

“Basically, it tells the story of a fictional 70s stuntman called Jack Da Man and he’s made up in an Evel Knieval kind of mould.” James explains. “The clip tells the story of him training for a big stunt, going to the gym and going around a running track to get his fitness up to scratch.”

“Also, I might add, we’re very lucky to have a drummer for the gig, because the climax of the clip involved our drummer Chris going down a hill in a souped-up shopping trolley. And the very last minute, we piked out and put a dummy in the trolley instead and after we saw the dummy go over the jump, we realised had Chris been in there, we wouldn’t have a drummer for this show!”