In their show Return To Greatness, Diggy Bones and The Tokens of Love (comprising of Co Co Sugar Lips on bass and backing vocals, Colonel Fingers on guitar and bustin’ Down town on drums) present a musical tour de force and history lesson of the great entertainer that is Diggy.
Through a documentary film that was shown in installments throughout the show, we learnt about his extraordinary life. From Used Car Salesman to TV Star, from movie actor to Politician we went through the ups and downs of his life up until his comeback in music. These filmed segments were brilliantly hilarious as Diggy told his tale and showed excerpts from his work, complete with all the Gangsta cliches.
Between each video segment we were treated to a performance by the band. They were a tight funk machine that kept the crowd dancing in their seats. Although these songs had potentially hilarious subjects they weren’t particularly amusing in their lyrics. Thankfully Diggy’s larger than life personality provided plentiful amusement to keep the punters laughing throughout the show. Diggy was a wild pimp-like sex god whose between song banter was priceless and his interactions with the audience and band was dripping with innuendo and comical Gangsta bravado.
For the most part, the band members played straight men to Diggy, concentrating on providing the brilliant musical accompaniment. Occasionally they were offered the opportunity to add an element of humour, such as Colonel Fingers’ over enthusiastic solo and Co Co’s constant disgusted looks following Diggy’s often foolish antics, but it was clear that Diggy was the focus of the show.
In addition to the obliglitory audience call and response to the music, there was a game show segment involving a lucky punter. This doomed shell game and it’s strange prize was a hilarious sequence that built the already strained dynamics in the band.
Diggy Bones and the Tokens of Love were a wonderful example of the comedic band genre. Although not strictly musical comedy, they put on a brilliant performance that kept the adoring fans in stitches.
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