Having spent the previous three successive nights watching live music, I had intended giving myself a night off. However, when it was suggested that I might want to check out Hope & Social, I didn't take a great deal of persuasion. They've received some very positive coverage, after all, and besides, local supports Andy Gaines and Boss Caine can always be relied upon to be worth seeing.
Tonight was no exception, and neither disappointed, with Gaines' downbeat blues-inspired autobiographical recollections and the laid-back, late-night reflections of Boss Caine helping to feed the Friday feeling.
Taking to - and spilling off (the extremely small and low) - stage in this intimate venue, the seven-piece Hope and Social provide the sold-out crowd with a jubilant set of unadulterated entertainment. I can't profess to be familiar with any of their material, but it mattered not: Hope and Social succeeded in engaging the whole audience with their boisterous punk-folk infused brand of indie and gregarious banter. Their performance was lively, upbeat and above all, fun, and the band's enjoyment was infectious. Y'see, much as I crave music that edgy, difficult and challenging, sometimes it's good to just kick back and unwind. Having arrived with no real expectations, I left impressed and uplifted: an ideal start to the weekend.
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