Cardiff Barfly 14/12/2006
It’s been over two years since former Glassjaw guitarist Todd Weinstock, DJ friend Nick Concellor and drummer David Sullivan Kaplan got together to create their musically and visually over the top side project which became Men, Women and Children. When it became apparent that this side project was becoming something more they added JT Penzone on vocals and his brother Rick on bass along with Jason Gammule joining for live shows. This is the second time for MW&C in Cardiff this year, earlier supporting Panic! At The Disco now returning for their own headline show at Cardiff’s Barfly.
Arriving at a half-empty venue which quickly filled up before the band took to the stage to open with Photosynthesis, filled with funky beats and keyboard madness, immediately the atmosphere changed as they display their fine mix of emo-funk with three guitarist putting into practice some well choreographed dancing. This show is a mix of new-wave/dance/punk/funk and it works amazingly, I must admit I was apprehensive about this show to begin with but they pull it off so well. Things really start to get going when JT Penzone gets the crowd involved when he gives what appears to be a hard hat with a lamp to someone in the audience. Getting a human train running through the packed barfly whilst the band run through a version of Monkey Man, with almost everyone in the club moving in some way. To finish the night off in style the band end with the single Dance in My Blood with the inspiring line ‘You don’t need a reason, to get out on the dancefloor’. This goes down a treat with almost everyone finding it impossible to stand still and leaves the Barfly wanting more.
MW&C tonight has been ambitious, infectious and an over the top spectacular, this shows us that music can still be fun and not to take ourselves too seriously. If you’ve never heard these guys and are tired of the same old stuff coming out at the moment I urge you to check these guys out.
by Dale
www.myspace.com/menwomenandchildren
