Stornoway // Norwich Arts Centre - 13.02.10
Stornoway live at Norwich Arts Centre.
“None of us have actually been to Stornoway,” admits Brian Briggs, frontman of tonight's star turn, who borrow their name from tiny Scottish Island. "But we are in April: apparently there's only room for 60 people." With an easy charm and gently stomping songs inspired by rivers, roads and zorbing (more of which later), he needn't be worried about filling the space...
But first, Beth Jeans Houghton and her Hooves of Destiny, who take to the stage in pan stick, moustaches and bowlers (them) and a blond wig that is part Marie Antoinette, part Rocky Horror (her). Any thoughts of an unhinged cabaret performance are quickly banished as Beth and her band tear into a selection of raggedy folk throwdowns.
More outwardly conventional then her dress sense, the reasons Beth's songs stand out from the usual folksy-girl-with-guitar-and-competent-backing-band are two-fold: first, the songs have a habit of breaking down into four part barber-style intervals, and do contain the lyrics “my eyes were bleeding crimson”, secondly; that voice.
Wrapped in echo, let run free, there are whispers of Nico or even Antony, or even John Martyn (a good thing). Plus, “Nightswimming” sounds like The Stranglers underwater (again, a good thing).
A sweet Valentine's cover of Devendra Banhart's "At The Hop", and Beth and her band leave with Radio 2 poll winning single (“It beat Pearl Jam,” smiles one of Beth's Hooves) “I Will Return, I Promise”, and a host of new converts.
Stornoway's set is initially marred by a horrid rock snare drum sound, that for a moment sends things Snow Patrol-wards. Thankfully, buoyed by the enthusiastic crowd, things soon get back on track. With “I Saw You Blink”, “On The Rocks” and single “Unfaithful”, Stornoway prove themselves to be masters of a bucolic kind of pop, nestled nicely between the gentle psychedelia of Gorky's Zygotic Mynci and the northern soul end of the Belle and Sebastian canon.
Named after a New Zealand 'extreme sport', the pinnacle of this trend comes with “Zorbing”. Warm harmonies, added brass and violin, its 'in orbit over south east London' vibe is pitched perfectly to lift spirits.
The highest point, though, is reserved for the end. Returning to the stage, Stornoway eschew electricity to deliver “We Are The Battery Human”, a pastoral protest song if you will – simple, heartfelt and drawing the night to a close with the largest applause.
John Boursnell
