The colourfully named Nena Kubu are an electro-indie band from Doncaster. Tonight they are playing at
one of Sheffield's most famous underground venues and have invited us along to sample their live set.
Before they take to the stage, we're treated to short sets from local punks 16 20 and genre rule breakers
Dead Rabbits, who impressed with a passionate performance embracing a diverse range of styles. Despite
only having been established ten weeks, they sounded comfortable and tight and were surprisingly good
for a band second on the bill.
Disappointingly, by the time Nena Kubu begin their set, there are only a handful of people left. Being
a small band from a different town must make pulling a crowd on a summer Friday a difficult task, but
this doesn't seem to affect them. Front man Christian Carlisle performs with the energy and charisma
you'd expect if the room was sold out, dancing around and chatting with the tiny crowd. The music is
influenced by New Order, Depeche Mode and Led Zepplin, producing a sound akin to contemporary new ravers
The Klaxons but with a stronger emphasis on the synthesiser. Mixing solid vocals with riff-led
instrumentation, Nena Kubu's songs are catchy, danceable nuggets of synth rock. This is what perhaps
makes us most disappointed that there aren't more people there to discover a band with such strong potential.
Ultimately the band's professionalism and charm got them through their set without ever looking uncomfortable
at playing to such a small number. However, it would be nice to see them perform to a bigger crowd, a challenge
they are surely more than up to.