Raigmore Motel, Inverness, 2August 2006

Album cover for 'Free the Bees'.

IN DAYS gone by, it wasn’t uncommon for some brazen gig-goers to smoke cannabis within a venue. Certain bands attracted more of this behaviour than others; I recall seeing French electro-chillout specialists Air some years ago and leaving the Barrowlands smelling like a hippy’s old caftan.

Given the often laid back music produced by The Bees, one might assume that their fans would be the type of people to surreptitiously smoke a joint while watching them. I can’t confirm whether this is actually the case with Jack McConnell getting all health conscious and banning smoking in enclosed public spaces. Nowadays you’re now more likely to smell BO than Mary Jane at a gig.

The Bees themselves are a band with a reputation for enjoying illicit substances, and are slightly notorious for having recorded their first album ‘Sunshine Hit Me’ in a shed on their native Isle of Wight while considerably under the influence. The crowd at the Raigmore Motel were treated to some old favourites from this album such as Spanish-tinged ‘A Minha Meena’ and the slow funk of ‘Angryman’.

The Bees should certainly not, however, be dismissed as simply purveyors of stoner-friendly tunes. Judging by their performance in front of a very enthusiastic crowd in Inverness, the members of the band are all highly accomplished musicians who create a genuinely unique sound. While many bands cite a variety of influences, very few manage to blend them as well as The Bees do.

This was well demonstrated by the tracks they played from their second album ‘Free The Bees’. ‘Chicken Payback’ is a light-hearted number that wouldn’t have been out of place as the theme song on a 1970’s TV game show, whereas in ‘These Are The Ghosts’ the guitars riffs gradually build up around a chorus reminiscent of The Doves.

The band also previewed a new song called ‘Quietman’, which mixed reggae bass lines with epic, soaring trumpet parts. On paper, this sounds like it just shouldn’t work, but it seems like The Bees have hit on the winning formula yet again.

(The Bees play at the BA Club, Fort William, on 3 August, Fusion, Kirkwall, on 4 August, and East Grange Loft, Forres, 6 August).

© Bruce Munro, 2006