What better way for me to ring in the New Year than at a gig? With live music in mind, along with memories of hideous clubs and sticky floors, I was more than just slightly pleased to hear that my beloved Flowerpot were staging a NYE musical extravaganza at the HMV Forum in Kentish Town. So, world class bands may not have been on the line up but there were definitely a couple to watch on there, so figured it was worth a look in.
After arriving late (that's what drinking games do for you), I discovered I was just in time to see Everything Everything, who have previously received tidbits of hype but are bound to receive bucketloads more this year. Their witty electro infused indie pop translated unexpectedly well on stage, which was a pleasant surprise as I was somewhat concerned it was just going to be four lads involved in a dubious keyboard-based mash up. Unfortunately, not many other people there seemed to be enjoying them as much as I was, but perhaps this was because the scenesters these days deem it relatively uncool to be appreciating songs about Photoshop.
Headlining were Mumford and Sons, who, to be honest, I was not particularly excited about. After seeing them support the Maccabees at the start of last year and feeling their performance was one of the most uncharismatic I had experienced in a while, I wondered if this folk quartet were really the best people to be helping me ring in the new year. There has been a lot of hype around them in the past few months and I couldn't understand how and what I had apparently missed, so figured this would provide me with an opportunity to try and work it out. I will happily admit when I am wrong and I am honestly pleased to say that this was one of them.
In the interim months between originally seeing them live and then a second time, the band have injected a substantial dose of allure and charm into their live sets; and they are all the better for it. Yes, their slower songs aren't ones that had everyone dancing but single 'Little Lion Man' produced a positive reaction from the crowd and lead singer Marcus Mumford's yearning vocals cause you to strain to discover more about exactly what he is singing. Their livelier tracks most certainly instilled the party spirit into the drunken revellers, with a good ol' fashioned hoe-down taking place over several songs in front of the stage and a somewhat loudly slurred sing-a-long to their version of Amazing Grace as they rounded up their set. They're never going to quite have the stage presence of bands fronted by big personalities such as Kasabian or Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but I think this would come across somewhat bizarrely in comparison to the music they make anyway. They helped make my new years enjoyable, and that's enough for me.
(Photos to come.... if they have turned out decently enough on my camera)
www.myspace.com/everythingeverythinguk
www.myspace.com/mumfordandsons
http://www.mumfordandsons.com/
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