Tonight, they are supported by Foreign Affairs, Bristolian brothers Adam and Lawrence Purnell. They have some good tunes, but I think were let down by the constant tuning and noodling before each song that lost some of the momentum for me. As a support act you get little time so don’t waste probably four or five minutes as that’s another song that could have been played. Still, that said worth getting there early for.
Before the review of the gig itself another shout out to the venue. Islington Assembly is simply the best mid-sized venue in London. Excellent sight lines, best toilets but most of all superb sound. The sound is always spot on, crystal clear and right on the money from note one.
And to the main act. If you are looking for a young contemporary blues band then look no further than Larkin Poe. Combining a respect for the bold tradition of the blues with some carefully selected covers coupled with their own fine tunes they are kick starting the genre along with some other new acts like Joanne Shaw Taylor, Laurence Jones, Gary Clark Jr, Aynsley Lister to name a few.
Whilst their gender is irrelevant they do bring a feminine sass to proceedings as they rock the foundations of the hall. Given the eclectic mix of ages and sexes here they are also introducing a new younger audience to the blues which is not a bad thing.
The set tonight is a perfect blend of oldies, covers and tracks from their latest album ‘Venom and Faith’. The selection is perfect and while I think the new album is a little flat after the first couple of listens, live the new tracks ratchet up in leaps and bounds. ‘Beach Blond Bottle Blues’ and the Pearl Jam’esque rhythm of ‘Blue Ridge Mountains’ kick the proverbial arse.
We are treated to the twin axe duel of Rebecca’s Fender against the lap steel of Megan. There is no winner as the two complement each other perfectly although if push came to shove then the lap steel edges it. Citing the great Jerry Douglas as her influence I can say that he doesn’t play it like Megan does. Outstanding. The interplay between the sisters is great, the boys on rhythm provide the foundation for the girls to shine. On top of the musicality, Rebecca’s voice is amazing aided by Megan’s harmonies.
Highlights for tonight’s show are easy. Note one to the wave goodbye from the stage. Straight into my top ten gigs of the year and it’s been a strong year for live music. Go see them next year when they return to these shores.
Keep on blues rockin’ y’all