The band from New Zealand played a sell-out gig at Ally Pally on Friday

THE opening bars of the Fat Freddy’s Drop classic Wandering Eye are bass-heavy. And on the massive sound system in the beautiful main hall at Alexandra Palace on Friday night, the low frequencies flooded out and through a crowd who had brought their comfiest shoes with them.

They would need them – this band is a relentless live act, and the venue was about to be subjected to an incredible evening of the tightest live dub band out there.

Just as the seven band members of FFD moved in perfect unison, they took their sold out crowd with them: an incredible synergy flowing from the rhythm and brass sections out across the dance floor.

The band began back in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1999 and their longevity has given fans time-tested classics, and for this London date they simply had to walk through a back catalogue and select sure-fire crowd pleasers.

They used the gig to mark the 21st anniversary of their stand out LP, Based On A True Story.

FFD have managed to marry dub and reggae with funk, soul and rare groove, topped off with a smattering of techno-vibes, and somehow weave in hip hop, too.  Ernie, from their seminal 2005 album, sums up their ability to simultaneously create a laidback groove with a rhythm that makes you dance. It was a stand out moment in a flawless performance.

The glorious Ally Pally venue was packed out, and there was more than a smattering of Kiwi accents in the crowd: FFD are New Zealand national heroes.

It was also a chance for the band and fans to come together and celebrate the life of founding member Chris “Mum” Faiumu, who died last year.

This soulful show illustrates why they have earned their place at the top of the canon of dubby, big band reggae.

Fat Freddy’s Drop return to London next summer to play Gunnersbury Park alongside Madness in July.