Tom Armstrong heads down to Islington to check out the BBC Sound of 2012 winner.
On stage as I walk through the double doors of the Islington Assembly Hall are The Staves, a female folk trio whose gentle melodies and vocal harmonies have the early crowd visibly spellbound. Their voices are delicate individually, rising into a powerful, natural strength when combined – these girls could, and should, go far. “Don't have to shout to be heard,” they sing during 'Icarus'. Well said girls.
The man who's merited queues around the block, however, is BBC 'Sound of 2012' Michael Kiwanuka. I must admit that I've been worried about the nature of the hype that's surrounded the Londoner so far in his short career. When his debut EP 'Tell Me a Tale' catapulted him from the North London suburbs to the living rooms of the BBC-watching general public, I was concerned that a talent so pure was being lost under a wave of shouty music journalists proclaiming him to be the 'next' something or other. Placing unfair comparisons on people is one of the evils of lazy journalism and was never more apparent than during the rise of Kiwanuka's debut EP.
Would his live shows be smothered with the kind of 'retro' stylings so in vogue with the record-buying public? Forced to wear a fancy dress style '50s outfits and sing cover versions to pander to the 'vintage' market? Not so. To a huge cheer Michael appears on stage: relaxed, confident, in a pair of Levis and check shirt, armed with a guitar and a grin, heading straight into an upbeat 'I'll Get Along', with huge smiles all round. The voice is raw but flawless.
The music industry is constantly dogged by stories of 'troubled' young singers, tortured souls – but not here. His appearance on stage acts like a rush of positivity which affects the whole room. The full band, including flute and sax players, aren't overstyled TV fodder, they're a muddle of visually mismatched musicians with an overpowering rapport and vitality. I can't help but smile.
We're treated to a new track from the forthcoming album, the typically soulful 'Always Waiting', with the telling line “my time is coming soon”. 'Tell me a Tale' gets the biggest cheer from an unusually reserved crowd, although the multi-layered production of the studio version fails to translate on stage, sounding cluttered at times. Throughout the hour-long set Kiwanuka glides from upbeat, organic soul to the brooding, haunting melodies of 'Any Day Will Do Fine' and 'Worry Walks Beside Me', his voice shining during a stint without the band.
This isn't a particularly mature performance, but it's all the better for it. In fact I count myself lucky to be watching Michael perform at this stage of his career; it feels organic. A cover of Bill Withers' 'I Just Don't Know' is not only a testament to his influences but a nod to the comparisons which have, depending on your opinions, either propelled or anchored him so far in his career. The crowd, who've been disappointingly reserved all evening, are reluctant to take part in a sing-along, but the band's fun isn't dampened.
I'll be very surprised if the album, released in April, causes anything other than a sensation, and the new territory which this success will allow him to explore, both in the studio and on stage, is certainly something to look forward to.
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