The Axis of Awesome

In their four years at the Edinburgh Fringe, mock-rockers The Axis of Awesome have graduated from the grungy basement rooms of the Gilded Balloon to its de facto stadium venue, the Debating Hall. But—like other great rock bands of yore—their rise to the big time seems to have been accompanied by a sudden lack of edge. Lee, Jordan and Benny are still lots of fun, but nothing feels new here and the threesome largely get by on charm.

Tonight's sell-out audience amply demonstrates the width of their appeal, with stylish visiting thespians squashed up next to burly middle-aged locals. But while the atmosphere is befitting of an Eagles reunion gig, the Axis arrive on stage in surprisingly limp, unceremonious fashion. The light-hearted hour that follows is a mishmash of their YouTube hits, well-observed genre sendups that have clocked up over 25 million views, with some filler in between and a few too many jokes about Benny's shortness.

Some jokes are geographically misplaced; few audience members here seem to know who Ray Romano is, for instance. Other successful segments—a love song sung as a cheap German Hitler parody—demonstrate too well the kind of humour that appeals to British audiences. But the strongest part of the show comes from their trademark, constantly updated 'Four Chords' song, in which current and past pop hits are shown to be built around the same chord sequence. It's an oldie but a goody and this pleasant hour will certainly appeal to longtime fans, even if it does lack some of the spark they've shown in previous years.