Belfast Music Week Launch - Gibson Guitar Rooms, London
听
Belfast Music Week Launch,
Gibson Guitar Rooms, London
Wednesday October 17th, 2012
听
only has three songs to make her mark but within a minute the audience are captivated. It鈥檚 a much more stripped down performance than her Great Northern Songbook performance but just as intense - her foot stomps during 'Whiter Than I' echo around the room, while dreamy finale '主播大秀' is supplemented by the sound of crashing waves.听
It鈥檚 difficult to find a suitable comparator: Philippa has somehow taken inspiration from the likes of听Tchaikovsky, fed it through a Jamie XX-esque filter and provided some spiritual, unassuming yet mesmerising vocals on top of that. The one bone of contention with the set would be the inclusion of a Lana Del Rey/Gotye/Labrinth mashup. It鈥檚 a strong cover, but we can鈥檛 help craving another original track. All in all, an enthralling (albeit short) performance from an enthralling performer.
This event isn鈥檛 solely about live music, however. We鈥檙e treated to a quick preview of Good Vibrations (complete with dodgy haircuts, dark humour and fast punk rock) as well as a glimpse of the trailer for an upcoming .
听
It鈥檚 hard to believe that have been gracing our stages and venues for three years now. The infectious energy, 1990s dance moves and massive hooks are still there but these Villains have evolved into a stronger, indefatigable pop machine.
Every time we see the Derry band live you can see that things are a little bit tighter, a little bit slicker and a little bit more confident - the new tracks have more depth and bite, channelling the likes of Tokyo Police Club while retaining that unique sweetness. A cursory glance around the audience reveals grins on the faces of several onlookers and one woman in particular giving it stacks. Fair play. Kieran Coyle is in his element tonight, with some sharp effective drumming building things from the back for some bouncy guitar riffs and just-about-on-the-right-side-of-twee synth parts.
Opener (and new single)lets the crowd know what they鈥檙e in for but 'Ferrari' is the standout: it finishes with such urgency and energy that shows there鈥檚 a wee bit of grit mixed in with the marshmallows and happiness, which bodes well for the new material.
The shop windows of Regent Street and Oxford Street entice hundreds of thousands into their stores every year, and this showcase has a similar intention. London has played host to more NI bands than you can shake a stick at, but this time round the Belfast Music Week organisers are hoping to lure visitors in from further afield and help boost the North鈥檚 musical reputation. On the basis of tonight鈥檚 showcase, it鈥檚 a tempting proposition.
Patrick Kane
Comments Post your comment