Urban Voodoo Machine to play at The Waterloo in South Shore

Punters can expect an electric cross between a mariachi band, the Pogues and New Orleans jazz and blues when the Urban Voodoo Machine roll into town.
Urban Voodoo MachineUrban Voodoo Machine
Urban Voodoo Machine

The band – described as one of the best live acts in the country by Classic Rock Magazine – play at The Waterloo in South Shore on December 13.

The lineup includes brass, fiddle, accordion, harmonica, standup bass and guitar, and their influences range from New Orleans Mardi Gras styles to gospel, folk-blues and rockabilly, with Balkan gypsy brass added in.

The story starts with bandleader Paul-Ronney Angel.

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The Urban Voodoo Machine came to him in 2002 as a fully-formed idea.

He’d lead a band who’d play ‘Bourbon Soaked Gypsy Blues Bop’n’Stroll’.

They’d dress in black and red.

There would be a LOT of them.

And their music would sound like a great night out in a dangerous part of town.

From the get-go, The Urban Voodoo Machine fused junkyard blues and stinging rockabilly with mariachi horns, fiddles, sinister cabaret and punk rock tangos.

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“I wanted to play rock’n’roll music with a different instrumentation, taking inspiration from everything from delta blues, latin and gypsy music without losing the spirit and attitude of punk,” said Angel.

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“We’re not Americana and were definitely not ‘retro. I write songs about living in London right now. Although having a bad time, no money, heartbreak, mental illness, addiction and suppression from the big guy is kinda universal and timeless, I guess…”

The show comes equipped with burlesque dancers, snake charmers and fire-eaters.

In 2014, when Paul-Ronney named their third album Love, Drink & Death! he had no idea what the year had in store.

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In October, fiddle-player Rob Skipper died of an accidental heroin overdose, at 28.

Then Guitarist Nick Marsh fought throat cancer throughout that year.

He died in June 2015, at 53, but despite personal tragedy the band continued to tour throughout the year.

- Urban voodoo Machine play the Waterloo on December 13