Music
A tiny London venue packed with stylish faux-hawked 20-something media types and weathered old rockers? No, this wasn't the debut of the latest hyped NYC art punks, but a showcase of the finest bluegrass alt.country and acoustic acts around.
Following the charming innocent melodies of Denison Witmer, Iron & Wine (aka Sam Beam) wanders onstage to rapturous reception and launches into his set of sparse musings. Set to the backing of a guitar and his brother's banjo, this Floridian and his redneck beard look more likely to be singing about beer and horses, yet these songs are hypnotic, mellow and infused with Southern sunshine.
Subpop darling Rosie Thomas, strolls onstage in pigtails and T-shirt and begins the first of her repertoire of stunning piano-driven songs. Despite her squeaky, vivacious attitude, these are tunes of heartache and loneliness: "I like to write about the lowest point we can go, the rock bottom. My music is about the hope and strength in those moments," she tells me. From 'Red Rover' to 'One More Day', her new album Only With Laughter Can You Win translates to an enchanting display of sensitivity and heartbreak.
Accompanied by violin, which adds a haunting depth, Rosie shows the full range of her fragile voice - perfectly suited to the intimite venue. Sam Beam joins her for 'October', his harmonies adding subtle layers to the lament, while her most popular song 'Wedding Day' is transformed into something less upbeat and more like the circumstance in which it was written. "It was ironic, because I was writing the song after a break-up, but my brother was getting married. It's a song about doing all the things you never got to, out of spite to the person who hurt you."
After this trip to the depth of emotion and melody, even a jaded Music Ed such as myself is moved: the buzz surrounding these acts is more than justified.
Abby McDonald
No actual judging was required this week because as it happened there was only one band (Fell City Girl) that could actually go through.
First up were the sublimely mental General Khaki, who astonished the crowd by playing their very inventive and individual style of rock for almost twenty minutes without a break even for applause. They possessed military discipline and put on on an energetic, yet understated show.
Next on came Kids Who Tell On Other Kids Are Dead Kids, who stepped in to fill the last-minute space left by El Jaego after their (thankfully not serious) car accident. The fact that Kids is a 'real' band definitely showed and their post-hardcore attack was as sharp as ever. They really seemed to give it everything even though they were not part of the competition. Definitely worth a look if they're playing any gigs soon.
Expectations were high for Fell City Girl after the two great openers. Needless to say, they did not disappoint. They were helped immensely by their spectacular vocalist with a voice that simply soared. One criticism might be that they didn't make enough use of his talent, preferring sometimes seemingly aimless instrumental passages. However, with some good songs, they have a great chance for the final and could well be destined for greater things.
Micheal Way Of Plean
Full marks to the muso scene this week for their concise and dynamic OU Wind Orchestra concert at the University Church. Striking up the band at a business-like one minute to eight and finishing a comfortable 50 minutes later, the slick hand of OUWO's new Maestro, Somerville's Sam Dwinell, was stamped all over this concert.
Tonight's programme surveyed a century of national wind band tradition, opening in an appropriately didactic sphere with the rousing school band classic, Dam Busters March. The orchestra made a spirited impact with this, in part because of the exhilarating and uncompromising lick at which Dwinell pushed. The pastoral section was saved from hackneyed pomp and circumstance overtones by a similarly upbeat tempo, at which the famous theme's natural melodic grace was allowed to breathe. The orchestra was clearly tightly rehearsed here, and the conductor's simple guiding tactus needed no elaboration.
A highlight of the concert was the appearance of tuba soloist James Longstaffe performing Edward Gregson's Tuba Concerto. The impact of the soloist's flexibility of sound across the opening flourish must have firmly banished sceptics' doubts of the suitability of the tuba as a solo instrument, even if it did take several rude bass note pauses before the predictable frissons of amusement subsided. The soloist's gentle vibrato was complemented by the finely blended tone colour of the clarinet section in the second movement, evoking an introvert, reflective mood in palate-cleansing contrast to the robust, jazzy outer movements. The celebratory finale saw excellent ensemble in the syncopated passages and all-round concentration from the orchestra. Again the pulse found a comfortable groove to accommodate players' expression whilst maintaining all-important momentum.
Longstaffe's choice of the longer, more virtuosic of two existing cadenzas made a triumphant finish as he satisfyingly tanked those bass notes for the last time. Programming Holst's Suite in Eb will always get the thumbs-up from me. These simply beautiful settings of English folk song are pieces of English heritage that are inexplicably underheard and underappreciated. I couldn't help wondering if the incredible enthusiasm of the orchestra was counter-productive here, as the understated dignity essential to this music was occasionally subordinated by the force of the players themselves, particularly when the busy inner-parts, exaggerated in this acoustic, overshadowed those gorgeous folk melodies. No bad thing however, as this is what folk music is all about, and charming solos in the upper winds and trumpets made for an immensely enjoyable performance, characterised with consistently musical phrasing and folksy gusto. A tongue-in-cheek romp of an encore ('Those Magnificent Men...') performed with unfailing energy from orchestra and maestro alike brought the evening to a light, refreshingly early close.
27th May 2004