Bella Union Birthday Gig #2

Bush Hall is a venue well-known for its special atmosphere, but tonight the chandelier-lit music hall feels even more intimate that usual. That is because this is the second in a series of three gigs to celebrate the 12th birthday of London indie label Bella Union.

A hushed crowd gathers around the pretty tables and chairs, each decked out with boxes of Bella Union cupcakes, to welcome the first band, London-based folk outfit Fanfarlo. An unexpected, last minute addition to tonight’s line-up, Fanfarlo treat the early arrivals to half an hour of their melodic folk stomp, drawing mainly from their debut album ‘Reservoir.’ With their relentless instrument swapping, soaring vocal harmonies and a saw (yes, really) the band offer an early evening thrill to a rapturous reception.

Hot on the heels of Fanfarlo come Ohbijou, the first of a double bill of Canadian acts and best buddies of this evening’s headliners. Fronted by sisters Casey and Jennifer Mecija, this impressive Toronto band sound beautiful. Banjos, ukuleles and steel drums feature heavily, but it is the dual vocal of the two sisters that grabs the attention most. During a particularly gorgeous acapella moment, the crowd seems stunned by the sheer power of their voices. Their wistful lyrics and dreamy melodies, added to the fact that the singer is wearing wellies she “didn’t take off after a muddy festival” make Ohbijou a genuinely exciting prospect.

By the time The Acorn take to the stage, the crowd is more than ready for their bombastic brand of folk ‘n’ roll. The band are clearly excited to be back in London and launch into ‘Crooked Legs’ with abandon. What follows is a set of brilliantly crafted nuggets of bluegrass genius. Alongside their Fleet Foxes-esque acoustics and vocal harmonies, The Acorn are prone to the odd psych-folk wig out, when guitar solos collide with crashing drums and bass. That they successfully and, it must be noted, effortlessly switch between the two, is testament to the band’s obvious talent. Like the two support acts, The Acorn offer thanks and praise to Bella Union, which, on this evidence is a very special label indeed. Then as their set finishes, with chairs scattered and cakes discarded, it becomes apparent that The Acorn have turned tonight into a proper birthday party.

Words by Ben Homewood

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Read more about the Bella Union birthday gigs and take advantage of clash's exclusive 2 for 1 ticket offer HERE. Be quick though, there's just the Peter Broderick headlined gig to come on Thursday 10th September.