Bear's Den
The twenty or so people that were reportedly present at the Norwich Arts Centre in time to catch the support act at a Smoke Fairies gig in September 2012 may have dismissed the openers as just another folk-rock trio cashing in on the success of Mumford and Sons. But by the time that Bear's Den played the Obelisk Arena at Latitude this summer it was clear that Andrew Davie and Kevin Jones (Joey Hayens, the third original member, having departed amicably earlier in the year) were now carving their own niche with a more expansive and individual sound.
Now, on a squally Sunday night in November, Bear's Den are playing their first Norwich headline show - part of an extensive tour to promote their second album, Red Earth and Pouring Rain. Close on a capacity crowd have dodged the heavy showers to turn up at the UEA's Nick Raynes LCR tonight, a substantial increase on that NAC support slot four years ago.
The evening starts with an amiable young singer from Sydney, Australia by the name of Patrick James. He sits at a keyboard for a couple of songs, but seems much more comfortable when armed with an acoustic guitar and his own foot-stamping rhythm accompaniment. His style is very busker-based, but wins the audience over sufficiently to get us singing along during both Bugs and his final song Carry On. His most memorable moment, though, came with his cover of The Killers' Runaways.
Matthew Hegarty is a British singer songwriter who has supported Mumford and Sons as Matthew and the Atlas. He is himself a multi-instrumentalist but tonight is backed by a four-piece band that includes a bass player that can turn his hand to keyboards, and a keyboard player that doubles up on clarinet. Hegarty's voice is earthy, almost gravelly at times, but is enhanced by some lovely backing vocals and neat arrangements. More LaMontagne than Mumford, but a comfortable fit with tonight's audience.
Bear's Den chose the theme from Terminator to herald their stage entrance, an interesting choice considering the film's main premise being the ability for the future to be re-shaped by travelling back into the past. The smoke machine has been working overtime, and the stage lighting is set to bathe the band in an enveloping glow. They kick off with the title track from Red Earth and Pouring Rain, and follow with Emeralds, another track from that sophomore release. Only then do we hear the first of several familiar tracks from the debut, Islands.
Yes, there are banjos, and yes there are trumpets, but the overall tone of the evening is much more pastoral than I remember from the bright sunshine of the main stage at Henham. The gentle spotlights punctuating the swirling mists being pumped onto the stage create an almost forest-like atmosphere that draws you into thinking Bon Iver or Fleet Foxes rather than perpetuating any of those lingering Mumford comparisons.
The audience are appreciative, if slightly muted, although this proves to be an asset when the microphones are switched off and the banjos come out for a spine-tinglingly beautiful, 100% unplugged, rendition of Sophie, during which the collective hush was almost suffocating in its intensity.
The remainder of the set holds few surprises – it is a thoroughly engrossing run through of tracks from both albums, concluding with the crowd-pleasing singles Auld Wives and Above The Clouds of Pompeii. At several points throughout the evening both Davie and Haynes thank us for turning out in such numbers to see them here tonight – surely they were not expecting a repetition of that NAC support audience four years ago?
An encore had already been strongly hinted at during the introduction to their final number, and when it came we were treated to another three songs, including a second unplugged performance. This time the band came down onto the floor of the LCR to sing Gabriel in a small clearing formed in the thick of a crowded circle of raised mobile phones and flashing cameras. Finally, after fighting their way back onto the stage, it really was time for just one more song, a stirring version of their classic hit Agape leaves the audience buzzing with satisfaction.
Euphoric and moving, engaging and immersive. This was a truly special way to end a spectacularly autumnal Sunday.
