Ivan et les Chiktips avec Mademoiselle Sane

OK, it's not a gig review from Millbrook. This mob played at Bar la Forge in Trebrivan on the 20th July. They hail from Paris and Brittany playing a mixture of hot-club jazz, traditional accordion and thigh-slapping folk; all with a wry, sly sense of humour. After a few numbers they were joined on vocals by Mademoiselle Sane, who sang with positively pornographic aplomb about acts that shouldn't be mentioned on a family blog. But as this isn't a family blog, I doubt very much that Bar la Forge has ever heard so many songs about anal sex in one evening before. Probably never will again. She has a striking voice and a genuine talent for fronting a band. A joy to watch.

They've got their own website: http://www.ivanetleschiktips.fr/ and you can view a lowish quality video at http://www.ivanetleschiktips.fr/index.php?rang=700.
You can hear a Mademoiselle Sane performance at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=102376616 on her myspace page - it'll play automatically. If you want the arguably down-n-dirty "dans ton cul" just click the link on that page. Her myspace friends include Vanessa de Paradis (that's Mrs Johnny Depp to you and the songstress responsible for "Joe le Taxi") so this lady moves in exclusive circles but still plays dodgy little bars in Central Brittany.

We've got a couple of their CDs which we'll play incessantly to any house guest in the next few weeks. I took a video of one number, but the quality really doesn't do them justice and it's too big to fit on my free youtube account.

Anyone who reads this who's got connections with Maker Festival might consider getting in touch with these guys; they'd go down a storm.