Petty Booka

The Darkness may have stolen the spotlight at South by Southwest 2003, but Petty Booka stole the hearts of those who saw them. Wearing cowboy hats and strumming ukuleles, this quirky Japanese duo played stirring covers of Patsy Cline, Madonna and the Ramones. What makes their music more than novelty,...

By Sarah Hepola

July 15, 2004

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The Darkness may have stolen the spotlight at South by Southwest 2003, but Petty Booka stole the hearts of those who saw them. Wearing cowboy hats and strumming ukuleles, this quirky Japanese duo played stirring covers of Patsy Cline, Madonna and the Ramones. What makes their music more than novelty, however, is the almost-eerie vocal harmonies and clever musical interpretations of Petty and Booka (what else would their names be?). They tweak the classics with style, adding swing, bluegrass, reggae and Polynesian rhythms. Costume-wearing, ska-loving weirdos the Aquabats headline.

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