Josh Pyke and Emma Pollock, 18/03/10

Last night I went to see Josh Pyke and Emma Pollock at the Norwich Arts Centre. My God was it a good gig.



(Above): we met Josh Pyke after the gig. I was so excited I accidentally had word vomit all over him. Anyway, I wrote a review of the gig for our student newspaper, and thought I'd upload it here too:

Josh Pyke and Emma Pollock, Norwich Arts Centre, Thursday 18^th March

The night began with a collection of catchy, upbeat songs, courtesy of local band Madames et Monsieurs. A winning mixture of indie, pop and rock, the band set the tone for what was shaping up to be a remarkable evening. Though the room was relatively empty, the young band were not to be deterred; raw, talented and likeable in the way that only unsigned acts really are, they churned out a reel of lively, quirky songs that soon had the audience motivated, capably filling the space before the main performances.

Singer/songwriter Emma Pollock began her own performance with an amusing anecdote, effortlessly loosening up the atmosphere of the room, and casually assuring the audience of her confidence on stage. The former Delgados member played songs from both her debut (Watch The Fireworks) and most recent (The Law Of Large Numbers) albums, captivating the audience with her passionate vocals (and, more notably, her strong Scottish accent). She and her support began with a few relatively heavy tracks; but as the evening progressed, the songs became lighter and more mournful. The popular House On The Hill was the highpoint of her performance: the stage lights dimmed as she delved into the moving, evocative ballad, her voice carrying powerfully through the old, renovated church room.

With Josh Pyke’s performance, the tone shifted again. Launching immediately into a song from his first full album, Memories and Dust, he soon had the audience swaying in time to the gentle rhythm of his music. At first appearance, he may have seemed just another ‘one man and his guitar’, Jack Johnson-types; but Josh’s performance soon dispelled this illusion. Like Emma Pollock, his accent (Australian) carried into his vocals; and his evocative lyrics were almost poetic. The majority of the songs played came from his second album, Chimney’s Afire; both nautical and intensely nostalgic, the tracks were sentimental and inspiring – Our House Breathing and Make You Happy, in particular, had the audience yearning for more. The performance ended on a somewhat mournful note, with Vibrations In Air, a song reminiscent of memory and loss. Definitely a night to be remembered.