Aside from running our lovely magazine and website, Stranger provides a nifty copywriting service for outside clients (click here for more info). Recently, we've been doing the website for the iTunes Festival - so it was really cool to visit London's ICA and see some wicked bands courtesy of our friends in the Big Smoke.

Copyright © 2007 Mallinsons

An expectant crowd is gathered in front of the ICA's stage early on. They're waiting for a man with a beard. Looking refreshingly nondescript in a plain t-shirt and kecks, and armed only with a mic, 25-year-old Darren Foreman showed everyone exactly why he's the current UK beatboxing champion.

The Brightonian dropped everything from covers of A-Ha and Nina Simone to frenzied breakbeats into his set, much to the delight of the club-friendly crowd. Of course, every single sound he created came straight from his larynx. There's nothing new in that, you'd be right in thinking. But what makes Beardyman different is his crowd interaction. Whereas most of his contemporaries steer clear of humour, he embraces it, and the guy is as close to a comic (we're thinking he'd have fitted right in on the set of Big Train) as he is to Rahzel.

Sadly, we're not treated to his famed Elvis-dying-on-the-bog skit, but the numerous other tricks he pulls more than make up for that. "Do some classical music!" someone from the audience shouts. Beardyman kindly obliges: mid-song, he stops what he's doing and reels out a load of violin/flute/French horn noises. As with the rest of his set, it's note perfect and completely alluring. It's a tough act for Groove Armada to follow!

Famously, only one half of the big-beat throwbacks plays live these days. But as well as Andy Cato, we get a full-band and a handful of guest singers to ogle at. Lady Stush, the grime MC comes on for a couple of songs and, when her elastic vocals get to work on 'Get Down', she pushes the already-impressive band even higher.

Copyright © 2007 Robin Lingwood

It's the appearance of ex-Sugababe Mutya that really gets things going though. She's on stage for all of five minutes to sing 'Song 4 Mutya' - pretty much the only truly decent pop song of the summer thus far (even if it does have a monumentally stupid title). Its greatness is all down to the solid beats, weighty synths and the way it recalls all those cheesy Paul Young crapotunes from the 1980s without actually attaining the rank of 'rank'. Mutya's bitchy vocals take more than a leaf out of Lily 'fancy a poisoned apple?' Allen's book, but she's got way more stage presence about her than Keith's daughter. For one, she looks cool as fuck - like the kind of person Prince would have hung around with around the time of Dirty Mind. She's also nailed the art of suspense (you don't know whether she's eyeing the audience up or getting ready to gob on them).

After she's gone, all that's left is for Andy and the band to reel out the classics - so we get a trombone-led 'Superstylin', a few off of recent album Soundboy Rock and a final, slow-burning but eventually blistering version of 'Shakin' That Ass'. They may be dance music's elder statesmen, but Groove Armada still know how to do the business - even if they are reliant on their mates to provide the kicks these days. (Matt Wilkinson)

You can win tickets for the iTunes Festival, which runs throughout July, by visiting the site here. Other band's on the bill include Kasabian, The Rakes, The Coral, Candie Payne, Kano, Amy Winehouse and The Rumble Strips (check out a Stranger website feature on them soon too...).

Check out this entirely unprofessional recording of Beardyman from the gig: