The Skints - Live Review from Exeter's Phoenix

The East London quartet brought their summery and fresh vibes to the Exeter Phoenix on Friday as well as bringing along some glorious weather, which perfectly matched the vibrant burst of tunes that filled the venue.

Performing to a sold out crowd, the ears of the Exeter audience were in for an auditory delight. As soon as The Skints launched into their first song Rise Up, the audience were hooked, already moving in sync to the rhythmic beats pumping through the room.

Each member of the band contributed something unique to the performance with Josh Waters Rudge providing solid vocals and Jamie Kyriakides mastering the difficult task of simultaneously playing the drums and providing vocals. Also the bassist Jon Doyle provided a steady and hearty bassline which contributed to the rich sound emanating from the band.

However, Marcia Richards stood out in particular by showcasing her musical talent from singing to effortlessly switching to the keyboard, flute, saxophone and then a melodica. The ability of Marcia to play and produce such a variety of sounds ensures that The Skints create a sound no other band can currently emulate.

As the lead guitarist and vocals Josh mentioned part way through the show, they aren’t here to put on a punk or a reggae show; which was reflected in their choice of support acts Gecko and Current Swell, who put on some fantastic performances as well. (On a side note, I always think it is worth checking out support bands if you can as they are often a great way to discover good quality and new music.)

Instead of a genre-specific show, he stated that they just want to give the audience a good time and that is certainly what The Skints did, with every person in the room singing and dancing to the non-stop flow of songs the band delighted the audience with.

Their show ensured that the hardcore Skints fans that have been there from the beginning would be satisfied by playing tracks from their first album such as the classic Live Breathe Build Believe as well as playing the guaranteed crowd pleaser, Katy B cover, On a Mission.

They also treated the Devonshire audience to a few new tracks, as well as their current single Out My Mind which looks set to be a sure fire hit in the near future.

The Skints have often been referred to as a "punk rock band that play reggae" but that description doesn’t seem apt to me, as they combine a fusion of sounds from ska, blues, rap and dub, as well as punk and reggae. Their unique sounds also bring together a diverse audience from young teenagers to those who are of a more mature age.

However, they were all united in their love of The Skints and there was certainly an air of good will amongst the gig-goers. They may Live East but their music certainly won’t die young as they seem to be going from strength to strength in creating polished songs and engaging audiences with their live presence.

This was the last stop of their tour and they ensured that they put their all into it and in the process cemented themselves as one of the best live acts on the UK circuit.

To find out more about the band, visit www.theskints.co.uk