Jollyboat’s Seven Songs for Geeks
Hardened Fringers, brothers Ed and Tommy of the good ship Jollyboat have enthusiasm, talent, one guitar between the two of them, and balloon swords, taking to the stage with a mighty “arrrrrrr!” as they launch into an opening medley of pirate inspired tweaked versions of well known songs of the popular music genre, Queen’s We Will Rock You becoming We Will Rob You, The Beatles’ Yesterday becoming infected with Leprosy and Joy Division’s original love being substituted by Sharks Will Tear Us Apart.
With gangrene, guillotines, gout and U2’s I Still Haven’t Found What This Hook Is For, apparently these boys kissed a gull and they like it, but terrible pirate puns aren’t all they’ve got to offer. With little budget for advertising they have depended on word of mouth, their reputation now sufficient to pack the substantial floorspace of Movement for their daily performance of Seven Songs for Geeks, a misnomer as there are actually nine; as this is a “free Fringe” show, Tommy explains that makes it value for no money.
Moving to a bodhrán driven ode to Game of Thrones‘ Daenerys Targaryen, the singalong of her unravelling list of titles is fortunately supported by onscreen lyrics, as is the poetic paen to the history of videogames across all ages and platforms, from Pong to Minecraft, Warcraft and The Witcher, demonstrating a more enlightened social conscience than is often shown by the gamer community.
While each of their songs are undeniably silly, all are cleverly crafted and accessible even to those who are straying outwith their specialist subject; advising that a song about role playing actually refers to Dungeons and Dragons rather than Fifty Shades of Grey, levelling up through a catalogue of terrible monsters, celebrating and simultaneously satirising the increasing number of them which are just objects (swords? pillows? flannels?) with teeth before questioning the role of female armour.
With too many good television shows to choose from and too many Pokemon to chase, the boys slow it down with painful honesty when they sing that only the young die good; boasting a loyal and expanding following built through their appearances at science fiction events and their festival residency, while too easily pigeonholed as a novelty act that may be their origin but their excellence in that arena is far from the whole of who they are or what their success is built on.
Jollyboat’s Seven Songs for Geeks continues until August 27th at Movement on the Cowgate, and early arrival is strongly recommended
