A sunny, slack lunchtime full of Big Aroha

‘‘It’s a bit odd playing to sober - well, semi-sober people at lunchtime,’’ says guitarist Scotty Armstrong to a pleasingly full Crystal Palace.

He is, he adds, ‘‘not used to the audience being more sober than me’’.

I think it’s safe to say he’s joking - you simply couldn’t play as well as this four-piece do if you were hitting the sauce.

The audience, too, is the very model of respectability; a mix of all ages, from grey haired pensioners to a little boy - probably no more than two years old - who spent much of his time merrily dancing away in the aisle.

Yes there is drink, thanks to the Crystal Palace bar, but people are content to sit back with a bottle of beer or a glass of wine and nibbles. It’s all terribly civilised and a very pleasant way to spend a sunny Friday lunchtime.

Like that little boy with the happy feet, everybody seemed to be having a whale of a time - including the band.

I have to hold my hand up and admit that I’m not familiar with The Slacks, but I came away very impressed.

Scotty Armstrong, his brother and Slacks’ lead singer, Mark, bassist Blake Gibson and drummer Zane Greig have a collection of sometimes gentle, sometimes poppy, sometimes rocking, songs and they really give their all on stage.

The Slacks really seem to enjoy doing what they do, and their enthusiasm is infectious.

They concluded their 50-minute set with the upbeat Big Aroha, their best-known song, and it sent the audience away happy into the warm afternoon sunshine. And back to the office and reality.

For quite some time no one moved from their seats in the hushed silence that followed the performance of An Awfully Big Adventure.

It was quite ironic as this show was full of lots of comic moments and hilarity.

Yet the audience was left sombrely pondering what they had witnessed.

When patrons eventually felt ready to speak again, they described the production as ‘‘powerful,’’ ‘‘unique,’’ ‘‘impressive,’’ ‘‘graphic’’ and ‘‘magical.’’

Cleverly presented, it made you look at some of the big issues and reality of WWI (and war in general).

Presented in a safe, nonthreatening way it proved very