On the first date of their whistle stop UK tour, Ocean Alley grooved their socks off at Camden’s Electric Ballroom.

Starting and ending their four show tour in London, the Sydney boys are back again almost a year after their last visit. As the house lights flared and the music boomed Ocean Alley took to the stage. Beers in hand (Fosters of course), Corduroy kicked off the night.

Third up was the oldie but goldie Yellow Mellow from their 2013 EP. Song Happy Sad was certainly a tear jerker with that beautifully passionate vocal/piano interlude before the rip of guitars and drums. A song you can truly appreciate live. Confidence began to bring the night to a close. Despite the wicked dance moves the audience had thrown during the earlier half of the set, the room was alive at the first sound of that iconic riff.

After what could be an almost perfect set, the band lay down their instruments and departed, but something was missing. Back on stage once again, frontman Baden introduces the next song as not being one of their own but they love it anyway – their iconic cover of Baby Come Back, first heard back in May of 2018 as a performance for Like a Version. Though not an original, their unique and creative take of the song alongside the sly yet tasteful addition of Calvin Harris’s Slide has earned itself a prominent slot in the Ocean Alley repertoire. And the crowd certainly agreed!

The evening was filled with crowd surfing, shoulder dancing and a whole lot of boogieing. This band are a fantastic gateway into what can only be described as a marriage between  psychedelic, reggae, blues surf and good old rock.

Photos: Milly McAlister