Live Review

Stornoway – Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London

• 22nd Nov 2010

The last day of their UK tour, and the biggest show to date, indie folk’s next big thing took centre stage. “As we’re at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, I thought it would be appropriate to tell you a story about sheep,” is the type of typical banter you get from Oxford’s finest. There must be something about the Oxford scene as this band, quietly and slowly have been making a very big deal.

It seemed almost perfect for autumn, without wanting to be too clichéd, cold outside, warm indoors and great, feel good music. Like I said clichéd. But true. Managing to get over an hour’s worth of music from the band, hearing all the hits, it doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing them at an intimate evening such as this again!

They are a clever bunch, with a PhD and two masters between them, yet only one album, they’ve shown just how far they can get with the strength of their beautiful and poignant songs. With more to come I guess. Brigg’s banter certainly tames and he seems almost shy and unnerved, the look on his face priceless when the crowd sing ‘I Saw You Blink’ right back at them. The vocals are just as healthy and polished as the album and everything is true to form. With comparisons to the Magic Numbers, Mumford and sons and even James, their mix of beauty (in the songs I mean) and effortless ability to entertain and occupy the stage meant for a good evening.

Spine tingling, moving, eerie and chilled, all words thrown about far too often in music reviews but a highlight of the night were the acoustic songs “The End of the Movie” and “We are the Battery”. Played with no amps or amplification of any sort, they really showed off the talent that Brian Briggs and his band bring to the stage.

However, the encore, as encores go was SPECTACULAR, and yes capitals are needed to explain the true beauty of the scene. The return to the stage was accompanied by strings and trumpets and a crowd singing along and left you feeling on top of the world.