If the Spiegeltent hadn’t been standing for a week you might have worried for its structural integrity, such was the thumping, stamping raucous reception afforded to Molotov Jukebox.
Providing the final night musical send off for this year’s Norfolk and Norwich Festival, this melting-pot band bought strains of gypsy, ska, reggae and rap to the glittering venue.
Cleared of the usual seating the sell-out Saturday night audience was free to dance, shout and generally sweat-out the two week festival, giving very vocal appreciation to the six-piece fronted by Game of Thrones and Harry Potter actress Natalia Tena.
Tena’s fine sparky singing and accordion playing mix with Sam Apley’s violin and Angus Moncrieff’s trumpet to form the bedrock of the band’s sound. Bassist Tom Wilson suffered from a few early feedback problems but they didn’t daunt anyone either on or off stage, preferring to keep diving headlong into the music.
From the high-octane notes of Something For The Weekend and Gypsy Funeral to the more tender pacing of Trying and Don’t Panic this was an explosive set and a brilliant end to the main portion of the festival – but with their first album Carnival Flower only recently released this could be just the start for Molotov Jukebox.
