In the midst of a heaving Tuesday night in Bristol during Freshers, Mr Jukes hosted a contrasting evening of funk-infused jazz in the Marble Factory. Fresh off the back of debut album God First, Jack Steadman and co brought their embellished and independent sound to a sold out venue.
Playing the bass in an 8-piece bombastic band, the absolute enjoyment of Mr Jukes is emanated through Jack Steadman’s onstage persona – passionately and soulfully bopping along to brass solos, and fully embracing the utterly inextinguishable vocal performance by those in his band. Beginning their unusually short set of 45 minutes, Mr Jukes ascended into album tracks including ‘Somebody New’, and ‘From Golden Stars Comes Silver Dew’ – both of which had brought a new lease of life to the room.
With echoes of frontman Jack Steadman’s previous band Bombay Bicycle Club seeping through during the performance of tracks like ‘Tears’ and ‘Ruby’, the sound associated with Mr Jukes appeared more and more as what Bombay Bicycle Club may have produced had they stuck about a bit longer. Unveiling a sinister performance of ‘Typhoon’, the overall consensus of the band’s performance is that it’s a spectacle to be seen in person, rather than through a recorded format.
After a fantastical rendition of Lauryn Hill’s ‘Doo-Wop (That Thing)’, Mr Jukes eased into the more commercial area of their set. Dropping ‘Grant Green’, the sold-out crowd were filled with a zeal that only really became apparent upon the band’s earlier Lauryn Hill cover. In a grand fashion, the octet drew their short-but-sweet set to a close with undoubtedly their largest track ‘Angels/Your Love’ to rapture.
As an ensemble, Mr Jukes emphatically and shamelessly broadcast their enjoyment and revelry in their performance. From lengthy saxophone solos to impeccable vocals, Mr Jukes is an experience – and it’s definitely not one to miss out on. Grab tickets for the remaining shows here.
Words by Jasmin Robinson
