7 posts tagged “hoxton bar and grill”
I take my leave and head over to the Hoxton Bar and Grill where Miike Snow are playing their debut London show tonight. I find the band sat our front with Nadja and catch up with all of them. They are excited about the gig. Three weeks of live performances in America have transformed them from the band I saw in Stockholm.
Nadja takes them away to have a band meeting before the gig and I go and find everyone from the label. We have a great turn out tonight; I just hope they can deliver. It is great to see them on a proper stage, although the amount of gear they have means that Pontas is way up high stage left and Andrew alternates from being upfront with his guitar, to diving behind the piano. Everything feels way more professional tonight. There are still times when the sound proves too ambitious for the engineer but he holds it together throughout. They have a new drummer as their original one is off having a baby. This guy is excellent doesn’t miss a beat.
It is a mesmerizing set, the sonics backed up with pulsating visuals behind the band most of which revolve around the Jackalope. Tracks like “Sylvia” really come into their own extended out into a trance like pace. “Black and Blue” is thrilling and “Animal” is spot on. Everyone is delighted, people are telling me it is an absolute triumph.
We are driving across London through traffic that has been brought to a standstill by a reccurance of falling snow. Two of Columbia's recent signing are playing on a mixed bill at The Hoxton Bar and Grill. First up is Charlotte O'Conner, an eighteen year old from Blackburn. She is all bashful charm and northern humour which belies her striking good looks and incredible voice. It takes everyone by surprise when she hits some killer notes as she works around a collection of soulful uplifting songs. Julian is also not long out of his teens but is developing a hard edged confidence up on stage. His piano driven tunes are already feeling like standards and his voice has what it takes to captivate a room.
