Liverpool 02: March 2009… The global economy is in freefall. House repossessions are at a high. Woolworths is no more. But forget the credit crunch for a moment: Manchester four-piece, Kid British, are here to sprinkle some interest-free sunshine on what could be a bleak and bankrupt springtime.“We want to bring a feel-good factor with our music,” says 25 year-old Simeon Mclean - one quarter of the singing/songwriting quartet that also includes Adio Marchant (25), James Mayer (22) and studio ace, Sean Mbaya (25). 

Everyone’s going on about there being a depression. People are talking about the climate like there’s an apocalypse coming. We want to write about what we’ve experienced and what we understand. We think everyone needs to have bit of a laugh.” Already in 2009, Kid British have released the limited edition ‘Leave London EP’ which sold out pre-release and they head out on a UK tour with pop-punk urchins, The Enemy in March. So Liverpool called and we answered. 

There is a real festival atmosphere inside the Academy tonight that is not merely just a side effect of the recent amber sunshine enjoyed that day, nor due wholly to a certain amber liquid enjoyed during the evening. The true cause of celebration is a glowing list of names on a bill that would light up even the gloomiest of Scousers.

Kid British kick off the carnival perfectly, they are an incredibly diverse act, both culturally and musically, fusing SKA influences reminiscent of The Specials with a modern indie-pop gloss. It’s irresistible and impossible not to bounce to the reggae rhythms of ‘Let’s Have A Party’ and upcoming single ‘Sunny Days’ which adds to the celebratory mood with a warm Caribbean flavour mixed with youthful lyrics about beans and toast. It’s one of ‘those’ songs that will live forever, like ‘Staying Out For The Summer’ by Dodgy but ten times better and twice as infectious

‘Lost In London’ is an eerie urban number, and it sums up perfectly your feelings the first few times you go to the capital city; that sense of wonder and awe as you realise the sheer scale of the city compared to where you live yourself…