A hugely anticipated show hit the power station with Black Country New Road. Or so I was lead to believe. I always approach these kind of hyped up shows with a cautious optimism, yet they still reel me in somehow. I am, after all, sitting here writing about it. The reputation of this 6 piece folksy act preceded them.
As the show opened with the spotlight on a single vocalist, every time a new instrument came into the song I found myself waiting with bated breath to find out what the next instrument would be; desperate for the lights to come on across the whole stage so I could see what the other five band members might do next. The proceeding hour and some delivered a playful set encompassing saxaphone whimsy frolicking in an audio field of upbeat piano riffs on rolling percussive hills.
The highlight came with not one but four recorders with the song Forever Howlong. Who knew the humble instrument could actually hold a tune? To the delight, and probably not surprise of the world’s primary school music teachers. Any track with a recorder is prone to tones of nostalgia and playfulness, which sounds so obvious now that I put it into words.
With rotating vocals, every subsequent song felt fresh and novel without compromising on the cohesiveness of the set as a whole. There is a joyful chemistry that makes this ensemble fun to experience live.