Mama Roisin

If it wasn't for the poor stage lighting, The Bully on Oxford's Cowley Road would be a great little venue. (not enough and what there is is too RED dominated).
Anyway it is a cold Saturday night and what better way to warming up than to go and see Mama Roisin.
A young Swiss trio playing a mixture of Cajun, Zydeco music with the energy and rawness of a punk band. Line up of percussion (including extensive use of the washboard), guitar and banjo, and accordion, with Harmonica, a loud hailer and maracas adding to the sound.

Being Swiss, and suspect from a French speaking canton around Lake Geneva, they are particularly adept in getting over the French/English sound from Americas' deep south. It was also rather charming when between songs introductions were done in heavily French accented English which I am sure the women in the audience fully appreciated.
Shortish set, which we made our entrance during the first number (75minutes) galloped along at a pace with dancing mainly by the women down at the front. Joined half way through by two Oxford based friends, they slipped into some roaring Delta blues and even a surfing song.

But in someways the highlight was their last encore number where they unplugged themselves and got down into the audience and played walking around amongst the crowd, washboard, banjo and accordion. Extraordinarily excellent.

Here is a link to a Guardian article about them.