A few years ago, while shopping in Kingston, we stopped to watch some buskers doing their bit outside the Bentall shopping centre. Usually we give a couple of quid to the kids to throw in the hat and hurry on our way but this particular day we all stood and watched the act for quite a while and even bought a couple of CDs.
Kingston has quite a few regular buskers and a couple of them stand out from the rest. One is a band called the Huckleberries who play traditional Irish folk tunes and the other is a couple of brothers called The Dualers who play old skool SKA.
Simon and Tyber Cranstoun better known as The Dualers have a kind of infectious enthusiasm that radiates out across the crowd. And they draw a big crowd each and every time I've seen them. Whether they are singing covers or their own material, it doesn't matter because they put the same amount of energy into every track they perform.
Over the years they have played clubs and festivals, released singles and albums (with limited success), supported Madness and UB40. Last week we went to see them play at the Indigo rooms at the O2. Seeing them play with a full band is a totally different experience to seeing just the brothers out on the street. It was a real party night filled with a selection of vintage and contemporary. Their love for their music and their appreciation to their fans is undeniable. These boys are not pretentious or arrogant. They seem genuinely surprised and humbled that they can sell out a venue like Indigo2. I like that!
The Dualers continue to take their act out on the streets as well as playing their regular club night called Ska-bida at The Amersham Arms, SE14. They also have some largers gigs lined up including an October date at Kingsmeadow, Kingston which we will be getting a large group of friends together for. They are even back at Indigo2 next April. Not too shabby for a couple of Croydon lads!
More information on The Dualers can be found at http://www.thedualers.com/
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