Kioko have two major headline shows coming up this October starting with a homecoming show at Birmingham’s o2 Academy, then two dates with Dub Pistols in Nov/Dec. As a taster for their biggest headline shows to date we are unveiling the video for their recent EP’s title track Let’s Be Frank, watch it above.
Their ska tinged sound bounces with a light melodic energy and a pop playfulness that belies lyrics that concern the turmoil that bands go through. Here’s what the band say about their song and new video: ‘Let’s Be Frank’ is a song about the band healing and moving forward after parting ways with a pretty poisonous influence, so writing it was a really cathartic process for us. Because of that we wanted a video to reflect the sense of happiness and growth people experience when they cut ties with someone for the better. We thought the perfect opportunity to capture that vibe would be at a gig in Dreamland in Margate supporting our pals Dub Pistols, and our new favourite filmographer Will Hutchinson did an unbelievable job in both capturing the essence of the song and documenting an unforgettable day!
Jon Brown, the band’s guitarist explains the musical inspirations Let’s Be Frank, “there’s a really great reggae scene nationally with a big focus on London. We really like what Kiko Bun is doing and also what Prince Fatty is doing with his collaborations. We draw a lot of inspiration from old reggae and rocksteady artists such as Alton Ellis and we really love the disco infused old school sounds of Prince Lincoln, a sound that we’re trying to channel at the moment”.
There’s a lot of talk about how post-Brexit Britain is in many ways regressing back to the 1970s and historically the best music often comes out of the most depressing political situations. As a ska/reggae band indebted to the heroes of the scene such as The Specials and Madness, it seems Kioko’s appeal is linked to the current socio-political landscape. As Jon Brown says “reggae is the blues of the Caribbean veiled in infectious sun drenched rhythm, it’s the music of those who have suffered, and there’s a lot of suffering going on at the moment”.
Forthcoming Kioko live dates:
26th Oct – o2 Academy Birmingham – HEADLINE
27th Oct – Pickle Factory London – HEADLINE
23rd Nov – Concorde 2 Brighton – supporting Dub Pistols
7th Dec – o2 Academy Islington – supporting Dub Pistols
