An evening Lost in the Cedar Wood with Johnny Flynn & Robert Macfarlane

I went to a gig a couple of days ago! Rejoice. Although ‘gig’ perhaps isn’t the right word, and doesn’t do the evening justice. In the candlelit setting of the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, a 340-capacity space that is part of the Globe Theatre no less (!) I saw two of my favourite writers, Johnny Flynn and Robert Macfarlane, performing their album Lost In The Cedar Wood. Music there was, but it was so much more than a gig - a journey… a magical, bewildering evening of story and song, traversing across timelines and continents. Genuinely mesmerising. Tickets were difficult to come by and I feel SO incredibly lucky to have been there.

Music, stories, nature - this show couldn’t have been any more my cup of tea.

Having seen Johnny once before at the Roundhouse (the performance of Live at the Roundhouse album fame) I was very excited to get tickets to see him and Cosmo Sheldrake playing as part of a series of socially distanced folk gigs in Hackney towards the end of 2020. Sadly it wasn’t to be and the shows were put on hold and were eventually refunded a few months ago - the announcement of this pair of shows at the Globe came at around the same time. The world might not make it easy for me to see Johnny perform live, but it had offered up some kind of gig exchange.

While I’ve been in love with Johnny’s music for nearly a decade now (after buying the Country Mile vinyl at my local HMV on a whim) my love of Rob’s work is a more recent thing. Since starting work as a bookseller in 2019 I’ve gradually been made aware of Rob’s writing - for me, The Lost Spells was my introduction. The pocket-size (ish) follow-up to Rob and Jackie Morris’ The Lost Words (look it up), I couldn’t resist it upon its arrival into the shop, and have since been gradually acquiring most of Rob’s books. I’m currently reading Underland - slowly, savouring each page. Rob is genuinely a magician with words, and when I found that he and Johnny were collaborating on some music, my heart skipped a beat. The album was one of my favourite releases of last year… here’s what I wrote about it in my AOTY post:

In the past couple of years, my interest in and love for the natural world has increased dramatically, with furlough offering up more time to get into the garden and to go on walks locally. As my curiosity has grown, I've been seeking out writing on nature, and was unbelievably excited earlier this year to find that one of our best natural history writers, the great Robert Macfarlane, was releasing an album with one of my favourite folk artists, Johnny Flynn. A masterpiece waiting to happen, surely.

As I expected, the pair did not disappoint - Lost in the Cedar Wood is something to treasure and an album I will love for years to come. It arrived at exactly the time I needed it and perhaps could most appreciate it. My favourite line, from Enkidu Walked, describing my experience of the past two years - "the birds have my heart and they won't give it back to me." When two brilliant writers come together to make art it was never really in doubt that it would be something truly special...

Johnny Flynn · Enkidu Walked

Fast forward to Monday… negative covid tests, masks on - ready for the first train journey of the year. A novelty at the moment, that’s for sure. Wanting to make the most of the day out, we first visited the eight miles of bookshelves that make up Waterstones Piccadilly, before my first trip to the Natural History Museum in years. The foundations of a dreamy day, by all accounts. Food consumed (Wahaca - yum) it was almost time for the show, so we wandered along the south bank towards the Globe, passing the National Theatre and Tate Modern, and admiring that night-time London skyline for the first time in a *long* time.

There was time for a spot of birdwatching along the way, as a pair of Mute Swans bobbed around in the Thames, with Greylag Geese resting nearby, one eye open to observe passersby. The entire day had this vibe - spotting Great Tits flitting between trees outside the NHM, a Moorhen rooting around in the grass, and a pair of Cormorants flying over… Robins trying to out-sing one another near the Royal Albert Hall… Goldfinches in a tree just off of The Strand… the train journey too offered up Buzzards, Red Kites, Herons and an Egret. I’m incredibly grateful and excited by this new found love of just observing, of watching. There’s a lot to see when you take the time to look.

After an introduction by Robert and Johnny to the ‘world premiere (part 2)’ of the record, we settled in for an evening of stories and music, all surrounding the Epic of Gilgamesh, the inspiration for the record. It was unlike anything I have experienced before - Rob’s narration transporting us into these far distant settings - that of the Epic itself, and of George Smith, who translated it in the 1800s. Johnny portrayed Gilgamesh and George, intercepting Rob’s narration with lines, often witty. The script contained echoes of the music, and of Rob’s work more generally, I think - and suddenly, Johnny would fill the intimate venue with his song, no microphone needed - the audience were silent, and his voice carries with it a certain power. Some of that power is in knowing when to use it, with moments of tenderness interspersed throughout - if they wanted me to leave having felt a spectrum of emotions, they succeeded.

The songs (including two new ones…!) were utterly transfixing. It was incredibly special to experience tracks from an album that I love so much performed in such an all round beautiful setting. A highlight for me, though, was seeing firsthand the love that both Rob and Johnny have for one another’s art. Johnny clearly found Rob’s words as magical as the rest of us, and Rob’s love of Johnny’s music is no secret… at one point he broke the fourth wall (forgiven) to declare just how much he was enjoying sitting beside Johnny while he performed.

Theirs is one of my favourite working friendships, where both genuinely admire the other’s work, and they make up part of a beautiful ecosystem of musicians and writers with an interest in the environment that I very much wish to be part of. I guess, for the evening, I was…

Loitering in the foyer after the show, checking train times, adjusting coats and scarves… and full of the requisite emotions. I’d had a little cry and was full of adrenaline from the final song (with the audience erupting into a cacophony of clapping for the outro of The World To Come, reflecting the album recording which ends with pans clattering). All of a sudden I look up and… Cosmo Sheldrake! Ah! You all know how much I love Cosmo (and was gutted to not get to see him at the initial show with Johnny) and there he was… and just past him, Sam Lee! Folk musician and general hero of the scene, but also the author of the brilliant book The Nightingale.

Johnny Flynn · The World to Come

We had a train to catch, and I didn’t want to interrupt friends reuniting… but just knowing that I’d seen them was a treat. Since the show, I’ve found this thread of tweets by Dr Amy-Jane Beer (author of, most recently, A Tree A Day) who was at the show with Sam as well as Nick Hayes (author of The Book of Trespass). A little bowled over to find in the replies that Merlin Sheldrake was there too - I’m traipsing slightly away from the ‘cool music’ and into the ‘things’ (about time) but my last year or so of bookselling have found me recommending Merlin’s book Entangled Life to just about anybody who will listen. While I didn’t talk to any of these incredible writers, I’m finding something really special in the fact that I got to share the experience with them, spending a couple of hours in that special venue on that lyrical journey…

There’s a chance this show could be taken on tour and I can only implore you to keep an eye out and get a ticket if you’re able to. Pure magic.

LIVE: Half Moon Run & Leif Vollebekk at Electric Brixton (7/11/19)

Last Thursday I had the utter joy of seeing Montreal indie rockers Half Moon Run headlining Electric Brixton at the London date of their tour supporting brand new album A Blemish in the Great Light. The album was released at the start of the month and I'm really enjoying it, with highlights for me being the single Favourite Boy, the quite intense and immense (over seven minutes long) Razorblade and the lyrically humorous Jello on my Mind.

Opening up for the band for the current run of European shows is fellow Canadian Leif Vollebekk , who created the perfect atmosphere for the show. It's a pretty positive sign when a support act can get some crowd participation going in the first track of their set. When not helping with harmonies or clapping/clicking, the crowd was mostly quiet for his set, respecting and clearly enjoying his music.  There was a really endearing effortlessness as he made up the setlist on the spot. Flitting between the piano and guitar, Leif's musicality was as compelling as his beautifully unique vocals which really captured my heart when I first heard his music through single Hot Tears a few months back. If you like the track below, he released his album New Ways on the same day as HMR - listen here.

Once Leif had finished up, it wasn't long until Half Moon Run took to the stage. I last saw them back in 2015 when they headlined the much smaller Oslo in Hackney, and I'd forgotten quite how impressive a live band they are. All multi-instrumentalists, they're each usually playing more than one instrument at once, or at least switching between one or two seamlessly within tracks. Drums and keys? No problem. Guitar, harmonica and keys? Easy. Slide guitar and guitar? Not an issue. All of this while coming together to create the sublime four part harmonies that the band are loved for. The result of these various additional instruments is that the band are able to create a much richer soundscape, with far more depth than you might expect from a four-piece band.

The setlist featured a mix of tracks from all three albums; the new record, their debut Dark Eyes and second album Sun Leads Me On. The newer tracks were received incredibly well and it seemed the crowd had already learned a lot of the lyrics, despite having had just under a week to do so! Favourites from the past two albums elicited a lot of singalongs, mainly on the likes of Call Me In The Afternoon and Full Circle, two of their best known songs from the debut. A highlight of the set was a stripped back performance of Sun Leads Me On at the front of the stage around one microphone, with the band showing that they can tackle the quieter tracks just as well.

There was a slightly overwhelming response from the crowd as the band took back to the stage for the encore, with unfailing clapping and cheering, which the band lapped up. Eventually, Dev asked for quiet for a "serious" song... cue Jello on my Mind. It was a really superb evening with two brilliant artists and a whole lot of talent on show. If you get the chance to see either of them live - be sure to take it. In fact, Communion have London shows coming up with both of them - Half Moon Run are at the Roundhouse on 12th March (tickets here) while Leif Vollebekk headlines Bush Hall on 28th April (tickets here.)

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Follow Leif Vollebekk - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

LIVE: Dawes at Islington Assembly Hall (4/11/19)

It's been exactly three years since Dawes were last over in the UK, playing a trio of shows to promote fifth album We're All Gonna Die. I saw them at the Islington Assembly Hall at the time, and found out during the show that they were playing an acoustic set at Rough Trade the following afternoon. Cue a spontaneous decision to travel back to London the next day, obviously. I also found out about a Sofar Sounds show they were playing and somehow managed to get into that too, and it became a really dreamy couple of days following a band I love around London. I've spent much of the time since eagerly awaiting their return, particularly after they released Passwords last Summer. Fast forward three years and I find myself in the exact same venue, watching them exactly three years to the day - I approve of the synchronicity. I wasn't planning to review the show, and spent much of the evening in a combined state of sleepy (I'd travelled to the gig straight from work) and in awe, but considering the rarity of a London show for the band, a write-up feels deserved. 

With ten years as a band under their belts, what always excites me about seeing Dawes live is how much they are genuinely enjoying themselves up on the stage. You most certainly should not go to a Dawes gig if you're hoping to watch them play their albums exactly as they are on record. Instead, expect SO much more. Enigmatic and endearing frontman Taylor Goldsmith provides vocal variations to keep the audience on their toes, and a procession of wild guitar solos as he jams with bassist Wylie Gelber, drummer Griffin Goldsmith and Lee Pardini on keys. As somebody with very little musical skill myself, it's impossible not to be in awe of the band through these instrumental sections, skirting the line between it seeming completely effortless, and as if they are giving the performance every ounce of energy. 

Beyond the music itself, the lyrics of Dawes, mostly the work of frontman Taylor, are pieces of poetical wonder. He manages to blend sadness and humour beautifully, drawing from real life experiences, relatable scenarios and contemporary issues. While quite simple, one of the lyrical highlights for me is the closing track All Your Favorite Bands, where the crowd prove their worth with a powerful singalong. The title track to album four, it's a kind of romantic ode to a lover, a friend, anybody that you care about, exploring various ways in which you could tell them just that, and settling on "may all your favourite bands stay together." I absolutely adore the sentiment.

Elsewhere in the set, the crowd singalong throughout, but most fervently for the likes of When My Time Comes, Somewhere Along The Way and A Little Bit Of Everything. With six albums to choose from, the setlist (which changes between shows, offering the band the opportunity to cycle through rarely played tracks alongside the favourites) actually manages to touch fairly equally on all albums, giving fans a real snapshot of the progression of the last ten years. Even without my favourite track (I Can't Think About It Now - I simply adore the instrumental section in it, it's one of my favourite tracks ever because of it) it was probably my favourite Dawes set that I've seen. A completely magnificent return to London. Now, perhaps not a three year wait for the next one? Fingers crossed!

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LIVE: Sofar Sounds Oxford at The Rowing Club Bar & Cafe (24/9/19)

For the three years that I studied in Oxford from 2014 to 2017 one of my favourite things to do was helping out at Sofar Sounds shows in the city. I started volunteering as a photographer at the shows a couple of months after moving there and got to see lots of brilliant artists in various intimate (and often bizarre) venues around the city - a bicycle cafe, an independent cinema, a museum and an art gallery to name a few. I had some time off work last week and headed back to Oxford for the first time in a couple of years. It was really great to be back in the city and luckily my trip coincided with a Sofar - it was a treat to be back!

China Bears

If Sofar Sounds is new to you - they're an organisation run mostly by volunteers, curating live music events in over 400 cities around the world. Originally set up to combat the issue of people talking around you and using phones etc at gigs, they create an environment for people to sit and discover new artists away from distractions. As the line-up and venue aren't announced until close to the show, there is an element of mystery and the opportunity to discover something new - it's a real joy to be part of! 

Tuesday's show took place at the Rowing Club Bar & Cafe at the City of Oxford Rowing Club, overlooking the Thames. I took a beautiful walk along the river from the centre of town to get to it. It was great to be reunited with my friends on the Sofar crew, as well as to meet some of the new volunteers and we had four brilliant artists on the line-up.

Opening up the show, it was a real pleasure to catch local (ish) guys China Bears playing their first ever Oxford show. I blogged about a couple of their songs recently and I'm really enjoying their debut EP I've Never Met Anyone Like You which was released via Fierce Panda Records back in August. Giving us a stripped back set showcasing their honest songwriting and indie influences it was a really fun way to open the show, and really sweet to meet the guys after the show. They're fans of the blog so I may be a little biased towards them... here's a video of them performing the EP title track from a Sofar London show!

Next up and hailing from Vancouver were duo Momento. I'm a fan of a violin at a gig, but what's better than one violin on stage? Two violins! Though their live set is now more electric in nature, they offered us a stripped back set (because they couldn't carry all the extra kit on the train, I think) covering popular tracks. Their immense talent and stage presence was obvious immediately and they very quickly got the audience on side - it was a really typical Sofar set, something that you might not expect and might not have usually gone to see, but which everybody seemed to love. Watch a cover of The Killers' Mr Brightside below!

Having travelled down from a show in York the night before especially for the night, next up was Sofar veteran Kim Logan. She's played lots (upwards of 70, I think?) Sofar shows and helps curate Sofar Paris as she currently lives between New York and Paris. Also (do you sense a theme?!) delivering a stripped back set and promising that her usual show was a full band rock affair, Kim sang a set of country and blues infused acoustic tunes. There's a video from Sofar Long Island below, featuring live dancing. Very Sofar.

Last up and after a long day exploring the gorgeous museums that Oxford has to offer, the lively set I needed to wake me up - Oxford favourites of mine, Little Brother Eli. It was the third Sofar I've seen the guys at, and my ninth time seeing them in total. I'll never tire of the infectious energy of frontman Alex Grew and his impressively broad vocal range, while backing him up, Josh Rigal and Adam Stowe offered superb musicianship and lovely harmonies. They're a well oiled machine and a local favourite and you can catch them playing at the O2 Academy Oxford for their Christmas gig on 21st December (tickets.)

Overall it was a really lovely show and is one of my favourite ways to experience live music - a really calm and inclusive environment where you're likely to leave the show having seen something you didn't expect, and lots that you loved. Long may shows like Sofar Sounds continue - I think it is clear that fans and artists alike love these shows! Check out the Sofar website here to see if there are shows happening close to you and take a chance on an evening of music discovery - you won't regret it!

Follow China Bears - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

Follow Momento - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

Follow Kim Logan - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

Follow Little Brother Eli - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

GIG NEWS: Bear's Den at Eventim Apollo (20th Feb)

Did I mention that I really love Bear's Den yet? Once or twice, probably. After playing a cracking headline slot on the Communion stage at Citadel Festival recently the guys have announced their next London headline show for next February. Having played a gorgeous show there in 2017, they're heading back to London's Eventim Apollo on February 20th and tickets are on sale now!

Tickets for the February gig, as well as their UK tours in August and November are on sale here.

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LIVE: Bear's Den at Rock City (9/4/19)

I'm sitting in a coffee shop tasked with writing a review of Tuesday night's Bear's Den show at Nottingham's Rock City. My first thought is to simply paste the word 'wow' a few hundred times, because I am completely in awe of this band and struggling to find the right words to explain just how magical they are - but for the sake of a more interesting post I'll give it a go...

The show in Nottingham followed a short run of shows in Europe and marked the start of the band's first UK tour in a couple of years. After seeing them seven times in just under a year from 2016 to 2017 it has been a long wait - and I am so glad that they are back playing live and with lots of brilliant new music in tow. Soundtracking my review writing is the band's new album So that you might hear me - it's not released until 26th April but I've been treated to an early stream - I'll be posting a review soon but I can promise fans that it is a gorgeous record and you're going to adore it.

Bear's Den live at Rock City, Nottingham

Opening the night was Tusks, AKA Londoner Emily Underhill. I have a lot of respect for an artist (particularly the opening act) who can bring a crowd to near silence with just an electric guitar for company on stage (she usually has the backing of a four-piece band, but joked to the crowd about having run out of money to pay them after the European dates of the tour.) I went to the show armed only with the knowledge of the support act's name, so had no idea what to expect and was - as I think the 2000 strong crowd were too - watching in quiet admiration for the duration of her set. A personal highlight was a stunningly understated cover of London Thunder by Foals which I've shared below.

Once Tusks' set finished, the stage was readied for Bear's Den, with an almost immeasurable number of guitars both on and off the stage, and a beautiful backdrop made from hundreds of feathers, paying homage to the artwork for the new record. 9pm arrived and the lights went down (ten points for perfect timekeeping) and the anticipation in the room became quickly apparent, it's safe to say Nottingham had missed them. The band took to the stage, a six-piece live ensemble, and opened the set with Fuel On The Fire, the first taste of the new record which they dropped back in January. Consider the bar set for the rest of the evening.

Performing a mixture of tracks from all three records, there was huge variety throughout in terms of both volume and tempo. Updated arrangements of older tracks refreshed the set, and despite it being my eighth Bear's Den show it felt like seeing them for the very first time again (a thought which leads to much fond reminiscing of their headline slot at Bushstock in 2015.) What better way to be reminded just how brilliant the band are in a live setting than with two tracks performed without any amplification or microphones. First, early track Sophie performed from the front of the stage and, during the encore, new album single Blankets Of Sorrow played within the crowd. It's pretty mesmerising to see a band perform to a crowd of that size entirely unplugged, creating an intimacy you wouldn't usually expect from that size of show. Sophie in particular left me totally in awe, it encompassed a power that I really couldn't wrap my head around at the time. (Chuffed to find that somebody has uploaded a video of that particular track here.)



As well as Fuel On The Fire and Blankets Of Sorrow the band played four more tracks from the new record - recent single Laurel Wreath and unreleased tracks Fossils, Crow and my personal favourite from the new record, Hiding Bottles (at the moment I'm adoring the lyric "yeah I'm keeping it together but you don't know the half of it, it's starting to show, no I'm not on top of this.") The new tracks were received superbly, but the crowd was probably most excited for an impromptu cover of (the chorus of) Nelly Furtado's I'm Like A Bird, which was as simultaneously crazy and wonderful as it sounds. That'll teach Davie not to joke on stage about being so rock and roll that they'd been singing her songs backstage - cue the entire crowd yelling at them to play it - "you've gotta sing along otherwise we're fucked [...] I can't believe this is happening."

So well loved are the band that it felt as if the majority of tracks they played were fan favourites, each receiving cheers of excitement from the very first notes. Testament to just how many brilliant songs they have, my personal favourite Magdalene is sadly not on the setlist at the moment, but I think I can forgive them. Bringing out the electric guitars and synths from the second record, the likes of Auld Wives, Emeralds and title track Red Earth & Pouring Rain received a rapturous welcome and got the crowd singing along, but nowhere are the audience louder (I think) at a Bear's Den show than during first album track Isaac. The track features the lyric "I'm gonna give all my love to you" - it was lovely to see how happy, and in a way shocked, the guys were to hear the crowd singing this back to them so loudly at this point - I love a band that doesn't take that level of fan interaction for granted!

A huge highlight of the set for me was another first album track, When You Break, which contrasted enormously with the unplugged segments of the show as the band descend into a jamming, drum-pounding and strobe-light infused outro which left me in a complete state of amazement. This level of variety in between tracks is one of the things that makes a Bear's Den show so exciting. As the show neared its end, Above The Clouds of Pompeii and closing track Agape, both from the first album, offered the crowd a last opportunity to exercise their lungs and show some love for the band - and they did!

As you've probably guessed, I loved the show and I really really love this band. A few dates are sold out, but they have a few UK shows still to come, including two nights at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire, followed by a US tour in May and June - all the dates and ticket info are here - I hugely recommend getting along to a show if you can.

I'm really excited for what the year has in store for the band, they're on the cusp of releasing a brilliant record and deserve every ounce of success it brings - from previous shows and chatting to them after the gig on Tuesday I can attest to Davie and Kev being two of the sweetest, kindhearted and humble people I've had the joy of meeting and my heart is currently swelling with pride for them. Now: buy a ticket and pre-order the incredible new record So that you might hear me here, you can thank me later.

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LIVE: Christof van der Ven at The Waiting Room (11/3/19)

I ventured back to London on Monday for my sixth (I think...) gig of the year, a Communion Music show with Christof van der Ven headlining, and Benedict Benjamin and Emma Gatrill in support. The trio had been on a co-headline tour for the week, taking in shows in Leeds, Stroud and Brighton before heading for the capital. It was genuinely so stunning that I can almost forgive the mildly stressful journey I had to make to a new area of London, and the stress of searching out the venue, The Waiting Room, which is the basement of a pub in Stoke Newington.

Once I'd found the venue and settled down (it has a bench stretching along the length of the room - bonus!) Emma Gatrill took to the stage to open the show. Delivering vocals, harp and keys (through a pedal board, confusingly) she was joined by Marcus Hamblett (producer and live member of Bear's Den alongside Christof) on guitar.  I know of Emma through her work with Matthew and the Atlas, but her solo work is new to me, and was utterly spellbinding. I particularly enjoyed the track Skin which is taken from her 2017 album Cocoon.



Up next was Benedict Benjamin. I saw Ben playing live a couple of times when I was living in Oxford, both times at Sofar Sounds shows where he was playing solo, so it was great to see him play again, and with a band this time around. During his set, I remembered the trivial fact that I was the first person to buy a physical copy of his debut album Night Songs (which I adore and which quickly became a soundtrack for my essay procrastination) back in 2016 at one of the Sofar shows. Claim to fame?! Monday's set delivered a mix of tracks old and new, including the amusingly titled Motherfucker (which is, in the sweetest way possible, about his baby daughter). I'm really looking forward to his new record Truant, which is due for release on May 3rd and features the single Ain't Easy which you can listen to below.



Next up, Christof van der Ven took to the stage. Similarly to Ben, I've seen Christof performing solo a couple of times in the past, last year (opening for Adam Barnes) and a few years back at a Bear's Den show. This time around he was joined by a band, a sort of folk supergroup made up of members of Bear's Den and Matthew & The Atlas. And they were glorious. Very happy to hear that album two, which I believe features this live band, is currently being mixed in Berlin!

What Christof lacks in on-stage banter while distracted by the task of tuning his various guitars, he makes up for in some gorgeous songwriting. The set combined tracks from his 2018 record Empty Handed (which made it into my gigs of the year list) and his recent EP Beneath The Ordinary Load. I've been listening to the EP a lot since the show and have found myself really connecting with the "emotional weight" that Christof himself describes the tracks as carrying. I really appreciate the honesty and integrity in the writing.

Opening track Town To Town reflects on the "personal struggle of not having a home and being on tour all the time. Not being grounded [...] Not having a place to come back to that is mine". Second track The Spell (which you can listen to in a lovely acoustic session below) touches on his own broken heart, and lead single Cut The Ribbon is written for a close friend, of whom Christof explains: "my dear friend Martijn had an operation on his heart last year and struggled mentally for a while. This one is for him." Final track Big Men At Heart is a track written about mental health, and the importance of speaking up. Christof said of the track that "last year the singer Scott Hutchinson took his own life. I never met him but we have mutual friends. It hit home. It was devastating [...] This is one for Scott and for speaking out about mental health." 

Follow Emma Gatrill - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.
Follow Benedict Benjamin - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

Follow Christof van der Ven - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

LIVE: Cosmo Sheldrake at EartH (29/11/18)

If you take a quick glance through the posts I've shared this year it's probably not much of a surprise that Cosmo Sheldrake is likely to feature in my albums of the year post (coming soon... when I get time to write it!) I was therefore VERY excited to catch the London date of his The Much Much How How & I tour last week, as I've been eagerly awaiting a full live set since catching him supporting Johnny Flynn at The Roundhouse last October. Describe the show in a short sentence...? Complete and utter genius.

The gig took place in newly launched venue EartH in Hackney, which has instantly become one of my new favourite London venues. Formerly known as Hackney Arts Centre, the venue (full title Evolutionary Arts Hackney) is a "progressive and essential multi-arts space for the 21st century". They aim to be inclusive to all and to provide a broad spectrum of arts to live audiences. The space itself is the site of the Savoy Cinema, which opened back in the 1930s. After the show I took myself to Google and did a little research, finding this article from the Hackney Citizen about 'long lost cinemas' in Hackney which explains that there have been over 60 cinemas in the area, with around 30 operating simultaneously between 1920 and 1950. While the majority of the sites have been redeveloped into flats, supermarkets and buildings of similar purpose, it is particularly heartwarming to see the Savoy being used as a cultural hub once more. It's a unique space and I hope that it thrives!

Gigging alone and having travelled down to London straight from a shift at work, I took myself down to the front of the venue, settled down with a book, and waited for the first set. Finnegan Tui took to the stage with his guitar, but any expectations I had for just-another-solo-male-artist-with-an-acoustic-guitar were quickly torn away. At just 18, his talent is pretty mind-blowing and his style incredibly difficult to pigeonhole. He very quickly informed us that Cosmo was one of his favourite musicians and an inspiration for him and it was easy to hear this in elements of his performance, but he was particularly individual, at one point using a drum pad to play a solo with samples of an oboe. I'll certainly be keeping an ear out for Finn in the future!

Next up, tour support I See Rivers took to the stage. Often at gigs it can feel as if you're willing time to pass quickly for the support sets so that you can watch the artist you came along to see, but during their set I was very quickly struck with the thought that I'd happily have gone along to see both supports playing their own show (a similar thought occurred to me when I first saw Cosmo play, in fact!) They're a Norwegian trio playing folk music with an infectiously positive stage presence and beautiful harmonies, and they warmed the crowd up wonderfully.

With a lot of anticipation in the air, Cosmo finally took to the stage, and opened his set with my favourite track The Moss. Things could only get better from here... right?! Right. We were treated to the likes of Hocking and Pliocene from his record, but highlights of the set came in the form of improvisations, which cemented my pre-existing view that Cosmo is an absolute genius. It was a treat, and almost intimidating to witness him creating quality music on the spot, in front of a sold out crowd. Two examples of creative craziness came in the shape of gargling some water and looping it, and looping the noise of a desk-fan brushing against the microphone.

I'd anticipated dancing, and a previously relaxed crowd couldn't hold it in once Cosmo played the utter tune Come Along. Fans flocked down to the front of the auditorium and didn't stop dancing for the rest of the show, which featured a collaboration with I See Rivers on Rich, a sunflower dance troupe (no, seriously) for Wriggle and a brass band for Hocking, which I would place as one of the best tracks I've heard this year. An explosion of sound, and what feels like an insight into the inner workings of Cosmo's mind, it is truly something to experience live. Here's a video from his last London show...

To sum up - from what I've seen of Cosmo on stage and online, he seems to completely adore what he does, giving it his all to create the best work he possibly can. He is an incredibly talented and intelligent human being (in the best way possible, a Cosmo Sheldrake gig feels like attending a science lesson) and he is creating music that sounds like nothing I have ever heard before. To watch his live show is genuinely a privilege. I implore you to listen to his record and catch him live if you get the chance!

Follow Cosmo Sheldrake - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

LIVE: Novo Amor at Union Chapel (23/10/18)

First things first. If you haven't yet, stop what you're doing and take a listen to the debut Novo Amor record Birthplace. You can thank me later. In the week since it's release I'm certainly into a double figure listen count (it's probably 20+ if I'm completely honest...) and I'm finding more things that I love about the record upon each listen. It is a sublime piece of work: atmospheric, lyrically beautiful and perfectly executed - one of the best debut albums I have heard in a long time. I simply adore it.

Novo Amor is the moniker of Welsh multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter Ali Lacey. He's in the midst of a mammoth twenty-nine show full-band tour across the UK, Europe and the US to promote the record, and I was lucky enough to catch the last UK show of the run, the second of back to back sold out shows at London's Union Chapel. As suspected, it was a completely magical experience, made only more-so by the venue - reminiscent for me of catching the likes of Bear's Den, Stornoway and Matthew & The Atlas playing in churches in the past few years. There's something truly special, and almost transformative, about hearing this genre of music performed in such a setting.

As those around me settled down for the show with mugs of hot chocolate and the lights went down, Anna Leone, tour support for the UK and European dates, took to the stage. With just her guitar for company, she transfixed the audience of the 900 capacity venue from the first notes, impressing with her well crafted lyrics and unique vocals. You'd hardly have guessed it was the biggest venue she'd played in, until she informed the crowd between tracks, describing it as a bit less daunting the second time around... but only a bit. Two of Ali's band members joined Anna on stage for the final track of her set, and we were given just a small indication of what we might expect from the rest of the evening.

With anticipation in the air, the band took to the stage. I knew that it was going to be great, but I wasn't prepared to be on the verge of tears a couple of tracks in... Nostalgic, emotive music is most certainly my thing and the set ticked all the right boxes in that regard. The band delivered an incredibly powerful opening to the set, displaying the strength of Ali's back catalogue by storming through the record's leading singles Birthplace and Utican in the first few tracks. The six piece ensemble shone in upbeat tracks such as Utican and Emigrate, with particularly stunning violin and trumpet parts. Stripped back moments in the set were a display of Ali's incredibly tight harmonies with guitarist, collaborator and producer Ed Tullett. It truly was an incredible show, leaving me with just one thought... how have I not cottoned on to these guys sooner?!


Ali seemed incredibly humble, always one of the best attributes for an artist to have. In a moment between tracks, he shared how grateful he was for us all coming along to the show and supporting his music, and how he was not only proud of his music being at a stage where he could fill a 900 capacity venue, but of the personal achievement in being able to stand up in front of that many people and perform. I find that we very rarely stop to think of the mental toll that performing in front of a crowd might have for our favourite musicians, and found it quite endearing for Ali to highlight this.

Also worth noting, is something which initially drew me to listen in more depth to Ali's music when I first discovered Birthplace back in June, through its video which aims to highlight the issue of plastic pollution in our oceans. After a little perusal of the Novo Amor website, I stumbled very happily across a 'Sustainability' page, where Ali shares the ways in which he is aiming to make both the record (recycled packaging AND recycled vinyl pellets!) and tour sustainable, by working with both Julie's Bicycle and Energy Revolution to minimise the environmental impact of the tour. In an interview for M Magazine (PRS) Ali explains that "when artists tour we rarely consider the environmental impact of what we're doing. We forget about the thousands of litres of diesel we burn across tens of thousands of miles, the plastic bottles and disposable cutlery we use once then throw away, and we don't often stop to think about the inks and fabrics we use for our merchandise." I was genuinely chuffed to see the band using reusable water bottles on stage... a little quick maths later, I figure that between six band members across twenty-nine tour dates, they're saving over 170 plastic water bottles, a sizeable impact from a relatively small change, and something which I hope that more touring artists will adopt to do their bit for the environment.

All in all, Novo Amor is quickly becoming my favourite musical discovery of 2018, and the show was a complete triumph. Check out the album, enjoy it as much as I am, watch out for future live shows, and if you're a band or musician - keep an eye on your environmental impact!

Follow Novo Amor - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

GIG NEWS: Public Service Broadcasting at the Royal Albert Hall (1st Nov)

I haven't shared a gig announcement on the blog in a while, but this show is most certainly worthy of a mention! The mighty Public Service Broadcasting head to London's Royal Albert Hall for a show on 1st November - tickets go on sale this Friday (8th June), with a pre-sale through the band's mailing list on Wednesday. I remember pretty clearly a friend introducing me to the band through their first studio record Inform, Educate, Entertain almost four years ago - two records and two chances to see them live later, and I'm very much a huge fan of their work.

A couple of weekends ago they played at the Biggest Weekend for BBC 6 Music in Belfast, opening the set with four brand new tracks commissioned by the BBC, about the Titanic, performed on the ship's slipways. As always, they're an incredibly moving set of tracks and exquisite in their quality. If you can get along to the RAH show, be sure to grab a ticket this week - their live shows are really something to behold (especially if last year's Hammersmith Apollo gig was anything to go by - read my review of that here.)

Follow Public Service Broadcasting online - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

LIVE: Nick Mulvey at Royal Albert Hall (22/5/18)

It's no secret that I adore (and in a way, idolise) the work of the wonderful folk at Communion Music (the record label, promoter and publisher), and seeing their Nick Mulvey headline show at the rather huge Royal Albert Hall in London earlier this week was a total joy. Not least because back in 2014 his show at O2 Academy Oxford (with my fave Sivu in support) was both my first Communion gig and the first gig I ever went to by myself - the start of something brilliant!

I've seen Nick play a couple of times since then at Bushstock Festival (he headlined gloriously last year) but this was by far the biggest and most ambitious show so far, the closing evening of his UK tour promoting second record Wake Up Now. After a set from TT (AKA Warpaint's guitarist Theresa Wayman) warmed up the crowd rather brilliantly, Nick took to the stage alone, casually strolling out and surveying the crowd to rounds of raucous applause. There was an almost palpable and mutual level of respect between himself and the audience, as applause turned to silence (from, I can only assume, sheer amazement) as he began to play We Are Never Apart. 

Gazing out at the crowd a few songs in and asking "Shall we have a good night?" before declaring that "this is the coolest thing" it was clear that Nick was pretty astounded by the evening, but he oozed confidence and seemed completely at home on the stage. Mirroring this, his tunes felt like they belonged in such a venue. Last week, he shared part of a short film online where he talked about the pressure that a London gig could bring and feeling liberated from it, and in the same vein, from the idea of making music for anybody else, concluding that "there is a kind of uncertain but definitely satisfying future out there if you just do what you wanna do in the way you wanna do it" - something that I think a lot of us could take something from.

The performance ventured through songs old and new and while the quieter tunes, encouraging a level of silent wonderment from the audience, were great, it was the powerful sing-alongs that became highlights for me. Cucurucu was given a repeated first verse and closing tune Mountain To Move had everybody up on their feet but the stand out for me was perhaps Nick's biggest tune Fever To The Form, which had everybody holding their phone torches aloft and made for a bit of a tearjerker. As the first few notes rang around the venue, a slight murmur of applause erupted from the more seasoned fans, to which Nick reacted "I love this song" before describing his first time playing the tune in his old house in Clapton, and telling us that "I really fucking cried my eyes out you know." Glad to know I'm not the only one!

A refreshing part of the show was to note differences from the studio recordings... very often you go to a concert only for the band to perfectly replicate their album live, which isn't necessarily a bad thing if you enjoy the recorded music, but changing it up is always welcome and helps to keep the live experience worthwhile. This difference was particularly obvious in the opening of Remembering, a track where the studio version features some fairly prominent female vocals. For this tour, Nick's set up was notably simple for such large venues with just himself, Dan See on drums and Nick Pini on bass and keys, but the band managed to fill the space beautifully, with Nick's soulful vocals carrying around the room. It would've been nice to have some female vocals though - but that's about as far as I can go with criticising the show, because in every other aspect it was a complete joy to witness. 

During the show, Nick informed us that "this is a folk gig by the way" as if checking that we were all aware of exactly what we'd signed up for, before covering Bob Dylan's I Was Young When I Left Home. While some covers can be a little throwaway, it was clear that the track meant something to him, and he dedicated it to friends at the show who he hadn't seen enough while busy touring over the past few years. The show itself was huge but felt intimate with Nick talking of his friends, dedicating the beautiful tune Unconditional to his wife Isadora and with him speaking of his spiritual beliefs and of the difficult experiences his family have faced over the last year. All of this seemed to feed into genuine appreciation and gratitude towards each and every one of the audience as he gazed around the room at the end of the show, as well as to his band and crew, and he was paid back in powerful rounds of applause. I'd say that this wasn't a show that Nick and his team, or the audience, will be forgetting in a while.

If you missed it - check out Nick's new Dancing For The Answers EP here. 

Follow Nick Mulvey online - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

LIVE: Banfi at The Lexington (12/9/17)

I've been a little bit in love with Banfi since catching them live for the first time back in November at their residency of free gigs at Old Blue Last and upon meeting the guys for the first time supporting Bear's Den in Oxford back in March. In the relatively short amount of time that has passed since those shows, things have been going incredibly well for the band - as well as touring the UK and Europe with Bear's Den and no doubt gaining countless fans in the process, they've been busy recording, releasing some cracking new music and playing many brilliant festivals. One of the first of those was Communion's Bushstock at the start of Summer, the last time I caught them live before this week, when I caught the London date of their first headline tour.

Banfi at The Lexington

Opening up the night was Bryde, with Joe explaining that the band had seen her performing at a festival this Summer and asked her along to support on the tour, and she said yes! With a drummer and bassist in tow she delivered an impressive set, commandeering the crowd into near silence from the first notes! Spiralling between loud, punchy tracks and slower, sadder numbers, the set flowed by quickly - a sign of a brilliant support act (with the other end of the spectrum being never-ending tracks when you're waiting for the headliner!) Check out a live video of the tune Less below, which I've added to the CMAT playlist this week - check that out on Spotify here!

Once Bryde finished up it wasn't long before Banfi took to the stage, by which point the room was totally packed out. Selling out a show is always a huge achievement and never to be snuffed at, and on stage it was clear how surprised the band were that so many had decided to spend their evening listening to their beautiful tunes! With the crowd singing back the refrains of Happy When You Go and Rosedale House you could feel the happiness radiating from the guys, writing of the show after that it was "absolutely MENTAL ... If you saw us at any point after you probably noticed us beaming from ear to ear. Big up yourselves for making that our greatest show to date!" A highlight for all has to be their latest single June, for which they shared the music video on Friday, once again directed by the über talented Jake Dypka, and which is a totally beautiful piece - get watching below!

If you're in Birmingham, Nottingham or Leeds you're in luck as the Banfi tour is still to take in your lovely cities - last few tickets for the shows here. I for one hugely recommend getting along to see them perform if you get the chance... not only do they give a fantastic live performance of their wonderful tunes, but they're lovely chaps too who will always be down for a chat at the merch stand! Now to carry on waiting for a full record of Banfi tunes... 

LIVE: Willie J Healey at Modern Art Oxford (5/5/17)

He's come a long way since I saw him playing a support set back in December 2014, and I was chuffed to catch Willie J Healey again last Friday. Tickets for the free show were all snapped up within a matter of hours, showing you his popularity and affirming the suggestion that it might be one of the last chances to see him playing in a venue of this size. It is the basement of a funky art gallery where you lose phone signal and *shock horror* actually have to talk to people - not an issue though as tons of familiar faces from the local scene were there and it was a great night!

Opening up the night was a stripped back Magique, which was a really nice way to be introduced to the tunes. I'm listening to their latest release, Real Love, while writing this and it takes on a whole other life with the addition of drums in the studio version. They are back at the venue for a full band show in July! I've just added the track to my 2017 playlist on Spotify: be sure to follow for updates on that. 

Shortly after their set Willie and the band took to the stage and treat us to a set of old tracks and new, showcasing just how much their busy touring schedule (they'd just finished up on a tour supporting Palace) has helped them harness their live set, giving a super impressive and tight performance. It was real fun and they finished off the set with the wonderful Greys, before we all headed to the pub and a local posh pizza van at 1am.... oh the life of a student after deadlines!

Willie J Healey plays The Great Escape on Friday night before heading out for some headline shows in June, taking in Leicester, London, Guildford and Southampton (announcement post and ticket links here!)

LIVE: Communion on Tour at Omeara with Joseph J Jones, Banfi and Dan Croll (2/5/17)

Last week I was lucky to win tickets to the Communion on Tour show at the stunning venue Omeara in London, where three of Communion's most exciting acts showcased their talents, Joseph J Jones, Banfi and Dan Croll. After a day of wandering around London and visiting a cat cafe, a lovely break among my final deadlines, we headed to the venue - although I caught a symphony listening party in another part of the venue back in December it was my first proper gig at the venue, and I can't recommend getting along to something there if you're in the area! 

Up first was Joseph J Jones, who I caught back in March supporting Jack Savoretti. I enjoyed his set there, but because it was in the fairly huge Royal Festival Hall with people arriving and finding their seats throughout the set, and we were sat quite a few rows back, I don't feel that I'd really engaged with the set. His voice is however incredibly impressive and I was looking forward to catching him in a more intimate setting, and he certainly didn't disappoint. At the moment I'm really digging his latest release, the track Gospel Truth, and can't wait to hear what he puts out next. He's also touring the UK in June if you like what you hear!

Next up were my favourite band of the moment, Banfi. I've honestly fallen pretty hard for their music over the past few months and this was the sixth time seeing them and I couldn't help but think how they are getting better at every show - not something you can say about most bands! Of the unreleased tracks they're performing in their set at the minute, Future is probably my favourite (although I'm already doubting myself writing that) and there's a lovely video of them performing it for Sofar Sounds London below! Like Joseph, they are also off on their first headline tour soon, following a support tour with the Bear's Den chaps in the UK and Europe for the last couple of months. They're heading out in September, taking in The Lexington in London on 12th September (tickets).

Last up it was a total pleasure to catch Dan Croll again after seeing him play an acoustic set at Bushstock last year and headlining the Communion Christmas Club Night at the end of the year. His new record Emerging Adulthood (something that's becoming quite a fear as my time at uni draws to a close) is being released through Communion on 21st July featuring the brilliant tracks One Of Us, Away From Today and Swim. Rounding up this post nicely he is also off on a tour, a little sooner than the others, kicking off in Glasgow on Friday before taking in Leeds, Manchester, London, Birmingham, Bristol and a slot at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton which I'm hoping to catch!

If you liked what you read about and would like to catch a similar show I can wholeheartedly recommend Communion's festival Bushstock, a day of beautiful music and wonderful community spread across multiple venues in Shepherd's Bush. Check the line-up out here (Banfi are playing!) 

LIVE: Alexander Wolfe at Paper Dress Vintage (6/4/17)

I've known about Alexander Wolfe for probably five years now as he's pals with Irwin of The Hoosiers, so it was a total joy to finally catch him live last week, playing a Tigmus/Dharma Records show in Hackney, upstairs at Paper Dress Vintage. Despite almost giving up and coming home when the coach took over half hour to arrive, and the journey from flat to gig taking around three hours (ouch) it was totally worth it, not least because he brought along his beautiful rescue dog Foxy (you'll find tons of cute photos of her on Instagram) who sat on stage in his guitar case for most of the set, totally adorable! Currently working on his new record, Al debuted a bunch of new tracks for the intimate audience, and it was a really beautiful set - a highlight certainly being the track below, I Can't Get To Sleep.

As I arrived late I only caught the end of the opening set from Cunning Folk but was really glad to catch Kevin Pearce after he's been playing a bunch of Tigmus shows over the last few months. He brought some Essex banter to the room, along with some pretty rad guitar effects and new tracks from his upcoming record, a release date for which is coming soon! 

LIVE: Bear's Den, Seramic and Banfi at Eventim Apollo (5/4/17)

On Wednesday night Bear's Den played their biggest headline show yet to a 5000-strong crowd at London's Eventim Apollo with the incredible Seramic and Banfi, an absolutely incredible line-up. They're a band completely at the top of their game and I'm so glad I was able to make the show, in a quite miraculous turn of events... having booked a ticket for Hamlet at Almeida Theatre a couple of months ago I checked my booking confirmation in the early hours of the morning to discover it was for the matinee, not the evening performance as I had thought. I was lucky to find somebody giving away a ticket for the gig for free and after rushing through central London to meet her, made it on time to the play, which was totally wonderful. Bit of a cliché but Andrew Scott was born to be Hamlet!

Bear's Den performing unplugged at Hammersmith Apollo

Despite the play being four hours long and travelling through the city in rush hour, after queuing for a short while I managed to join my friends in the centre of the barrier. I'm a total advocate of going to gigs alone, but there's also something really special about enjoying an evening of live music with a group of people who you know through liking the band! First up, one of my favourite new (ish) bands Banfi took to the stage, having opened up for the whole Europe/UK tour. It was so great to get to see them again (particularly as I think I'll be missing their final residency show at The Old Blue Last - last free tickets here) and I'm already looking forward to hopefully catching them at a couple of festivals this Summer, and on their own tour in September (dates and tickets all here!) If they're new to you, check out June for Secret Sessions!

Banfi performing at Hammersmith Apollo

Next up were Seramic, part of the reason I was really keen to get along to the London show as they weren't supporting at the show in Oxford a couple of weeks ago. It's pretty difficult to listen to them  at any point and not want to break into dance, but particularly in the live setting as their energy is infectious, especially Marcus' moves! Performing tracks from the Found EP and the recent single Same Mistakes (on Soundcloud) they really got the party started and I can't wait to hear the new EP which should be out over the next month or so. 

Seramic performing at Hammersmith Apollo

Having already been treated to two wonderful performances we were in for even more of a treat as the Bear's Den lads walked out to the Terminator theme, no less... dramatic stuff, kicking off their set with a couple of tracks from last year's Red Earth & Pouring Rain. It was clear we were in for a beautiful evening and the band had the crowd singing in all the right places and giving endless rounds of applause between tracks. The set was a little different from Oxford - much to my delight they played Magdalene, my favourite track from their first record! After joking about dreaming of a world in which bands return to the stage to play some more songs, they did just that and treated us to an unplugged performance of Bad Blood (they didn't brave entering the crowd as in Oxford, though I don't blame them) and a happy birthday sing along to their drummer Jools before finishing up with the big hit, Agape, and the crowd responded with tons more applause.

They finish up their European tour with three shows this week in the Netherlands and Belgium before heading back to London for a Record Store Day show for Richer Unsigned on 22nd April (details here) - if the ticket gods fancy blessing me with a ticket for that show, that'd be great! 

LIVE: Jack Savoretti at Royal Festival Hall (29/3/17)

On Wednesday evening I caught the last night of Jack Savoretti's current tour, where he and his incredible band played to the impressive and fairly enormous Royal Festival Hall - it was my ninth time seeing Jack live and I honestly don't think I'll ever tire of watching him perform.

The day was a combined post-dissertation treat for myself and Mother's Day present for my mum, and after a bit of shopping, a trip to the Sky Garden and some Mexican food we headed down to the venue early for a meet and greet. Not cheap, but totally worth it for the wonderful memories we created seeing some of the soundcheck, getting some signed stuff and meeting with Jack after for a little chat and a photo (at which point his tour manager exclaimed "I know her!!".... oops, stalker alert!) Jack and his music mean the world to me and there's so much I'd like to tell him and thank him for if I ever get the chance, but for now a hug will have to do! 

Tour support Joseph J. Jones kicked off proceedings.... I don't know much about him but do know that he is a Communion Music artist which is always a great sign! His tracks filled the room really well and his voice was seriously impressive and kind of gravelly in keeping with the rest of the show! Check out his track Stay below...

The room quickly filled up and Jack and his band took to the stage, playing us a bunch of tracks from the latest record Sleep No More, kicking off with the title track and the new single, We Are Bound, and a few tracks later it was a total dream to hear Sweet Hurt again. Towards the middle of the set the band left Jack to play Tight Rope by himself, after which he was joined by Nikolaj Torp on harmonica/keys for the utterly stunning Soldier's Eyes and Breaking The Rules - a sequence which had me in floods of tears.

Picking up the pace the band played tracks such as The Other Side Of Love (another of my favourites), Back Where I Belong, Not Worthy and after roaring applause, the Written In Scars/Knock Knock encore, with Joseph J. Jones returning to sing on Knock Knock to bring the UK tour to a close. I was once again blown away by the emotions that the performance made me feel, and the passion, talent and energy that the guys bring to each show, they're getting better and better every time. After a well earned rest they're heading to a bunch of festivals this summer, starting with Cheltenham Jazz Festival in April before taking in the likes of Isle Of Wight, Pinkpop, Cornbury, and V Festival - all Jack's upcoming tour dates are on his website here!