“Ready or not, Cheap Fakes on the scene.” The scene was The Triffid on Saturday 23 April and Cheap Fakes were opening for Melbourne Ska Orchestra’s Brisbane album launch. Expanded slightly since last time I saw them, Cheap Fakes had eight peeps on stage tonight. I weaved my way to the front and was stoked as their first songs were jam band style, seamlessly shifting between songs. One thing I enjoy about this band each and every time is when Scott Bignell shows off his multi-instrumentalist skills, playing trumpet AND keys at the same time. Suitably warmed up by the end of their set, the crowd was ready for the headliner.

Now, the stage at The Triffid is pretty sizeable, but Melbourne Ska Orchestra filled it out, I lost count after 20 members. The place was packed; even the mezzanine level! An early track was ‘Lygon St Meltdown’, which I’d played on my show hours earlier. They played a number of tracks from the new album Sierra Kilo Alpha, which we were told is available in 3D. For me, the highlight of their gig was during ‘Bombay Detective‘, a track from the new album, where they played with the conductor dynamics between the horn section and the audience. Super-fun!

They started their ska version of ‘Get Smart’, from 2013’s self-titled album, when the lead singer stopped abruptly, commenting that a woman in the crowd was trying to get a photo, calling upon the band to crowd around so she could get her pic. After posing for our photos, we were urged to put our phones away and dancing to their music. Who was I not to comply? From then on, it was dancing and skanking, skanking and dancing.

- Tina Walsh (Goldilocks Folk)