London Live Music
Hooked on Music is a night stationed at the Big Chill House up in King's Cross, a lovely bar with some very well hidden toilets, decent acoustics and a funky stage area.
By the time I arrive the first band is down to their last two songs and it isn't looking pretty. They're basically The Kooks of Phone Queue Nu-Folk. Whoever they are (unfortunately I can't remember their name) they look and sound alright, in so far as they're completely inoffensive. Chart success is almost assured.
Babel from Bristol are next; a five (normally six) piece with a female drummer. Despite the lead singer's sporting that baldy beardy checked shirt and jeans 'Blues Poet'look and the bass guitarist trying to get people to clap (which is never a good idea) These guys are brilliant; an up-tempo blues folk-rock band with a definite ear for foot-shuffling melodies.
The audience practically doubles by song three and by the end we're all doing the jig. No, jokes; we dance in separate zones. I can't make out most of the words, but the sounds are too good to care. Oh yes, we're now in 'great music night', territory.
Which leads us to the final band Tim and Sam who make instrumental nu folk. Now there's nothing wrong with that; drum, bass, xylophone, clarinet and cardigans, sugar, spice and everything nice - imagine Daft Punk supporting Sigur Rós.
The only problem is that I'm now pumped up by dance to spend the final hour with dolphin music. Tim and Sam make immensely enjoyable, relaxing, sweet, background festival afternoon music; like a young Lemon Jelly, but it jars against Babel's full-on rocking set. It seems like a bit of a mismatch.
But looking around, I notice there are a lot of couples in the audience, and they were getting very intimate whilst staring at the band. Looking closer I also notice that people have formed little 'hug and sway to the music'groups all over the floor, in a way that acutely reminds me I'm here by myself. An encore is demanded. At the end of their set their merchandise space gets mobbed; perhaps I'm alone in this mismatch feeling.
Hooked on music is not a good night, it's a very, very, very good night, a free night, with two awesome bands and one 'meh' one; worth a Tuesday night for, especially if you live around Kings Cross area. If they ever do sort out their band set-list, they will go from a very good to Godlike. Definitely one to keep an eye on, methinks!
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