Live Review

Mark Ronson And The Business International – Academy, Manchester

• 5th Oct 2010

Mark Ronson; the man, the mystery, the myth. It has long been one of life’s greatest questions (well, for a few years or so anyway) – what does Mr Ronson actually do?

Anyone who has been fortunate enough to catch the DJ/producer/celeb on his recent tour can solve that puzzle easily – he freakin’ rocks. Taking in songs from all three of his albums to date, including his new LP ‘Record Collection’ this stunning show could well prove to be the live event of the year.

The Business Intl, Ronson’s backing band, perform in a manner much like the Total Football of musicianship – made up of a selection of guest musicians, they move from instrument to instrument, taking turns on vocals from as the set progresses. This setup gives a unique feel to the gig – rather than seeing one band, it almost feels like you’ve experienced an entire festival in the space of one evening.

The talent assembled by Ronson capably handle vocal duties – Spank Rock rapped his way through the majority of the night and Alex Greenwood of Phantom Planet received a massive response when performing his hit California (the theme from The O.C – yeah, you remember it!).

But the most impressive of the bunch was probably the least well known – Ronson has truly unearthed a gem in Rose Elinor Dougall, whose vocals and general stage presence are captivating throughout the set. Much in the same way as Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse saw their careers fly after working with the DJ, expect Dougall to have a similarly meteoric rise.

The sight of a highly intoxicated Dave McCabe of The Zutons bumbling onto the stage for the encore was a hilarious bonus. Finishing the set with Valerie, sung and played (albeit a little off-key) by McCabe, the whole gig rapidly turned into one big party. It was refreshing to see a group of musicians enjoying themselves so much on stage and was a fitting end to the night.

So a truly magnificent gig in all and perhaps, just perhaps, Ronson will now be known for his own music rather than his celebrity status.