A band Called Malice are renowned to be the most authentic Jam tribute about! The high quality of their shows was rewarded with them being selected as finalists in the National Tribute Awards when only in their second year together and supported their decision to not only play the hits of Weller and co. but to include B sides and album tracks rarely performed by other Jam tribute bands – Jam fans won’t be disappointed.
A Band Called Malice are Andy Coultas in the Paul Weller role, Matt Barker/Chris Barr as Bruce Foxton on bass, Warren Mee as Rick Buckler on drums, and Steve Humberstone as John Weller (Manager) with them all being a close match visually (apart from Steve as ‘John’!) with their performances mimicking the poses and actions of the original Woking boys extremely well.
Their shows are so much more than a chance to hear the Jam’s songs being played louder than you’d ever dare play them at home and are as close to being at a Jam gig as you will get. They launch the show with the fizzing energy of an out-of-control firework display and scarcely let up for the next couple of hours keeping you singing, dancing, and clapping throughout. A Band Called Malice is a tribute band so you would have thought it would make sense to begin their set with something like ‘Start’ or ‘That’s Entertainment’ but instead they play ‘Standards’, ‘Art School’ or ‘A Bomb in Wardour Street’, the first two being album tracks from the first and second albums – not what you may expect but the band knows they are exactly the kind of tracks that work as openers – energetic, passionate, fast and they whip up the crowd.
Hit after hit throughout the show will remind the fans of how all-conquering the band was at their peak as they may be treated to a fast-paced ‘David Watts’, a dynamite version of ‘Precious’, or a wonderful ‘Strange Town’. So – if you are ‘In the City’, find yourself in a ‘Strange Town’, are ‘Going Underground’ or are simply ‘A Boy about Town’ – you have to see A Band Ca
