The first of two support acts is local Brighton three piece, Good Morning Captain. To a backdrop of American news commentary, they open with a layered instrumental piece, gradually developing into a plethora of lo-fi sounds. "Mary" is a similarly slow-paced number, with minimal drumming and Bon tempi, not too dissimilar from the sounds of Low and ‘Star’-era Primal Scream. The highlight of GMC’s set is "Sycamore", another whimsical lullaby. Just as the band appear to be getting a shade too comfortable with the acoustic ambience of the venue, the track picks up in both rhythm and dynamics, becoming too heavy for a band to be playing sitting down.
Fence Record’s King Creosote starts with a few a few bars of ‘Come on Eileen’, apparently as an attempt to rectify the damage done by Euro 2004 and its repercussions. King Creosote’s delicate, finger-picked style is supported by his friend, suffering from glandular fever, (having taken ‘Six Nurofen in the past 3 hours’), enabling a greater degree of depth to shine through. Though at times offset by too much banter, troubadour King Creosote displays a number of delicately pastoral folk songs, akin to Belle and Sebastian, Arab Strap and the like.
Sometime Fridge bassist, ADEM, opens with ‘Let It Burn’, an atmospheric number, which would not sound out of place on 'OK Computer'. In a similar vain, the beautifully tender ‘Pillow’, performed without the band, displays shades of ‘No Surprises’. Its ethereal feel is created with a delightful and sensuous melody and lyrics of a similar nous (“Wake me with kisses like butterflies”). Current single, ‘These Are Your Friends’ is a beautifully resplendent affair. Adem plays organ as his backing band provide bass drum, glockenspiel and acoustic guitar. The song builds up into a ‘Let it be’ climax, with the anthemic sing-along, “Everybody needs some help some times”.
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‘Statued’ and ‘Cut’, taken from his recent debut
release ‘Homesongs’, display the rich sonic diversity of Adem’s work. The former, drawing comparisons with Damien Rice, features a variety of instruments, as the band shift from shooti-style organ to double-bass and acoustic slide guitar for the following number. Musically, Adem’s material transcends genres at the drop of a hat. Tonight’s set varied from Pinkerton-era Weezer (‘Long Drive Home’), to the eastern vibes of the harmonium-led set closer, ‘There Will Always Be’. The Hanbury clearly appreciates him and the rapturous applause that he and his band receive area a just reflection of his standing of his abilities as a solo artist.
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