Wednesday 17 February 2010

Peter Lucas Band, AJ Moore, Cara & Tinlin - 11/02/10

Another bitterly cold night in London and I found myself once again drawn to the Metropolitain to sample the artists laid out for us this week by the lovely folk at P.A.S.
This evening was another packed out night with people bending their heads round the door just to catch a glimpse of the musical treats in store.

Fresh off their seemingly never ending tour of London (their words not mine) the Peter Lucas Band were tonight fulfilling their dream of playing in a room with a fireplace. At first glance you could be forgiven for thinking that they will be just another Folk Rock band playing nothing more than you have heard a million times before; this however would be a travesty and as big a mistake as inviting one of the previously mentioned mutant polar bears that roam these parts to meet your mother. The Peter Lucas band seemingly cross genres to give the somewhat tired traditional folk style a much more modern twist, incorporating American indie, and overlaying it with an almost orchestral backdrop provided by the violin.

The nervous energy of Cara was next to grace the stage and with her opening statement that she was 'the most narcasistic person in the room', immediately caught the attention of all those in attendance. The 20 year old Australian has the song writing maturity of someone twice her age and this was reflected in her intricate songs of love and loss, which made her instantly loveable and endearing. definately someone to watch out for in the music press real soon.

AJ Moore provided an interesting contrast as he played his uptempo songs ranging in topics from love to climate change...yes climate change, but thats a story that i'll let him explain to you. His incredibly powerful vocal melodies which at times were reminiscent of Matt Bellamy (of Muse fame) grabbed your attention immediately, and drew you into the heartfelt songs. This is an artist who I feel would have you singing along in a larger venue, leaving without a voice but having gained a massive smile.

Tonight saw the return of Tinlin who played the very first PAS way back in biblical times. Since then they've further honed their already competant songs and are now gaining some real interest from those with the purse strings in music. For those unfamiliar with the duo, first I ask where have you been all this time? Secondly i'll ask you to check them out very soon. Tonight their haunting melodies and tight vocal harmonies had the entire audience captivated, with their onstage prescence making them seem like they were born to do this music thing we all love.


www.myspace.com/peterlucasmusic
www.myspace.com/caramcphillips
www.myspace.com/ajmooremusic
www.myspace.com/tinlinmusic

Friday 5 February 2010

Jamie Abbott, Chloe Blackwell & Kah - 04/02/10

...and so we're back. A little later than planned but the PAS diaries have returned from their extended Winter holidays.

If you battled through the dreary weather and found yourself stranded without a place to go this fine evening then really you should have frequented the Met for another fine instalment of the Portobello Acoustic Sessions.
Tonight saw the artistic talents or 3 fine artists taking to the stage, leaving all those in attendance in stunned silence at the bountiful pleasures they had just received. The night kicked off with a newcomer to the PAS stage; Kah who'd travelled from the darkest depths of Catford to play us her personal take on the dark stylings of Electronica. 'Electronica!?' I hear you say..'at an acoustic night?' Yes.

Kah produced a sound reminiscent of the early ninties Trip Hop classics with much more recent dance twists, painting theatrical scenes of Love, Death and Childhood memories intersperced with spoken word sections which kept everyone glued to their seats.

Second up was Chloe Blackwell with her welcome return to the sessions for a second sitting. Stand out tracks such as 'Brown Eyed Boy' and 'Ain't No Sunshine' (Bill Withers) showcased her R'n'B / Soul vocal sound which was complemented by the more than capable Sam on acoustic guitar. Since arriving in London in 2007 Chloe has consistantly produced high quality tunes that both tug at the heart strings, and suck you into the picture she is painting. Glad to have you back at PAS Chloe.

Due to a cancellation the night included only 3 artists this evening however that in no way detracted from the quality of the final artist Jamie Abbott; who returned this evening accompanied by his trusty band of Cahon and Bass Guitar. This incredibly tight trio produced Blues and Country tinged songs which had the entire audience tapping away in time on the nearest available surface. Such appreciation was shown from those assembled that an encore of the Jackson 5's 'Want You Back' was added to the equation aswell, which left everyone present with something they wouldnt want to forget for a long time.

www.myspace.com/jamieabbottmusic
www.myspace.com/chloeblackwell
www.myspace.com/kahsongs