Great imitation (performance 1)

Winners of the 2011 Surface Unsigned competition, Great Imitation are a live gentlemen’s Hip-Hop band, mixing soulful acoustic guitar, and Jose Gonzalez vocals with electronic hooks, hip hop beats and storytelling rap.

Great Imitation is a midlands based band comprised of four distinctly different personalities and musical backgrounds. The band have created their own brand of hip-hop which mixes slick rap poetry and raw English singer/songwriter soul with electronic hooks and big beats, making it perfect for today’s popular music industry. Formed two years ago, Ryan Albutt (Guitar & Vocals) and James Scott-Howes (Rapper) wrote their first song within an hour of meeting each other and after three weeks they had played their first live show as an acoustic duo. After three months of writing and performing they decided to record and mix their tracks, as well as expand the band by introducing Mark Connor (Bass) and Joe Lambden (Drums).

In concert Great Imitation is a unique proposition. They create clinically executed live versions of the production heavy recordings, over which rapper James unleashes his unique brand of insanity. Their live hip-hop show has been taken all across the country, performing in London, Leicester, Liverpool, Bristol, Nottingham and Birmingham regularly. In 2009 they were invited to headline the new acts evening at London’s legendary Monto Water Rats, after which they were offered a support slot with Jurassic 5’s own Akil The MC. Over the past year they have supported Pendulum, Pixie Lott, Tinchy Stryder, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, and Kano amongst many others. They have also played live at several festivals including Summer Sundae where they we’re met with universal acclaim from audience, promoters, and journalists alike. Most recently the band have performed in the Surface Unsigned competition where they won the national finals at The O2 in London beating a total of 12,000 bands to first prize with 16/16 in the judging criteria from all three judges.

With regards to media the band has been actively participating in radio and internet publishing regularly. Last summer they performed for Balcony TV at Camden Lock. Both presenter and cameraman proclaimed it was one of the best performances they had ever seen at Camden out of the 2000+ acts that they’d recorded. Great Imitation have also done live interviews and sessions for various radio stations, including BBC Introducing Midlands show (The Beat) where they were featured alongside Professor Green and Marina and the Diamonds, Kerrang Radio where they were featured as their unsigned artist of the week and Alex Baker claimed them to be ‘One the best live bands I have ever seen’, as well as Total Rock Radio, Demon FM and Leicester Sound.