Tonight is an unusual surprise. I don’t know Black Country, New Road at all. The Olympia is packed, a mostly younger crowd, for the first of two nights. The stage is littered with instruments ranging from mandolin and guitars to violin and wind instruments to keys and accordion. There’s a Palestinian flag draped over the front of the keyboard.
They come on stage to rapturous applause which continues through the beginning and ending of every song they play. They’re a young band, which is initially jarring considering what I hear them playing. I’m taken back to the late eighties and nineties when I first heard bands like Caravan, Robert Wyatt, Steve Hillage. Their vocal stylings are National Health-ish. There are little elements of King Crismon and Kevin Ayers here and there. Their playing is exemplary with every instrument they pick up. Chord structures and orchestration are complex and melodic, not contrived or pretentious in any way. I’m kind of blown away.
I only came to shoot the first three songs and leave, but I end up staying. An incredible experience. I wonder if Soft Machine or Caravan were to play the Olympia now would the crowd be as young and responsive as this one.
Black Country, New Road photos & set-list:
Set-list:
The Big Spin
Two Horses
For the Cold Country
Socks
Dancers
The Ballad of El Goodo (Big Star cover)
Salem Sisters
Mary
Goodbye – Don’t Tell Me
Nancy Tries to Take the Night
Besties
Forever Howlong
Happy Birthday
Photos & words Cormac Figgis @themasterswitch