Young Gun Silver Fox + Smith & Liddle - Olby’s Margate Friday 7th November

I figured Yacht Rock would be a fairly niche proposition for the people of Margate in 2025, so I’m surprised to find the venue buzzing with life. A modest space with a capacity of just 340, Olby’s is already filling up nicely as a DJ blasts a selection of classics from the likes of Steely Dan, Toto and Christopher Cross, all of whom can be heard in tonight’s headline act. There’s less of a distinguishable demographic than I’m used to, but quite a few more Hawaiian shirts!

I feel disappointed for support act Smith & Liddle, who are largely drowned out by the noisy chatter of people accumulating around the bar. It’s a shame, as their gentle, breezy pop is quite beautiful, centred around the lovely harmonies of the pair. There is something infinitely pleasing about the blend of a male and female voice, exhibited best here during ‘Eyes on You’, a song that envelops you in wistful dreaminess. 

Though their name is a bit of a mouthful, it falls into place when you learn that Young Gun Silver Fox is composed of British singer-songwriter Andy Platts (the 40-something ‘Young Gun’) and American multi-instrumentalist Shawn Lee (an unmistakeable ‘Silver Fox’ with his flowing white locks). Augmented this evening by the formidably funky rhythm section of bassist Paul Housden and drummer Adrian Meehan, the group bring the sunshine to a dark November night with a repertoire unashamedly indebted to the 70s and an image to match (just check out those snazzy shirts and the cactus that adorns the stage!). 

Opener ‘Winners’ demonstrates the exquisite vocal harmonies and smooth, laid-back vibes that these men have perfected. The gently grooving ‘Kids’ follows, and it’s impossible not to move to the lilting bass. In fact, I’ve seldom seen an audience so engaged; as I glance behind me during ‘Rolling Back’, it seems that everyone is dancing, singing and smiling. No surprise really, given that it’s one of the most infectious songs I’ve heard in a long time, with a chorus that is destined to remain lodged in my brain for several days. 

Though all of the men on stage can really sing, it’s obvious why Platts takes the lead. Stationed behind his keyboards, there’s no hiding an incredible voice that is both warm and melodic but also full of power. His soulful delivery of ‘Love Guarantee’ is a showstopper, and contrasts brilliantly with his falsetto that dominates the uplifting ‘Born to Dream’. But arguably, the most affecting moments are when the harmonies kick in, Lee and Housden elevating the performance to somewhere quite magical. 

Lee radiates a sense of joy, and shares a noticeable chemistry with Platts. It’s an evening of many special moments, one of the best when the duo convene centre stage, sitting side by side for a stripped back version of early single ‘You Can Feel It’, accompanied only by their acoustic guitars. Platts engages in an enthusiastic call and response with the audience, his perfect vocalisations possibly somewhat ruined as we do our best to sing them back at him! 

Somehow melding a little of so many bands that I love, there’s some Crosby, Stills and Nash about the mystical ‘Mojo Rising’ that I’m desperate to hear again the moment it’s over. But it’s Steely Dan that I can hear in the quirky ‘Underdog’, a jazzier excursion celebrating the downtrodden. Impressive musicians who make it look very easy, and are possibly overlooked as a result, they allow themselves opportunities to stretch out on ‘Tip of the Flame’ and ‘Kingston Boogie’.  

As Young Gun Silver Fox put it so eloquently in the gloriously funky ‘Stevie and Sly’ - ‘take me back to 1975, it’s where I wanna go, when everything was gold’. They’ve got a point. But with music like this, there’s no need for a time machine. It’s difficult to do justice to a gig that for me, is one of the best I’ve had the privilege to witness. Just go and see this band, you can thank me later. 

SETLIST 

Winners/Kids/Rolling Back/Burning Daylight/Late Night Last Train/Love Guarantee/Born to Dream/Just for Pleasure/The Greatest Loser/You Can Feel It/Baby Girl/Mojo Rising/Simple Imagination/Underdog/Lenny/Stevie & Sly/Tip of the Flame/Long Way Back/Kingston Boogie