Laura Marling & Friends

From the moment she broke away from Noah and the Whale, Laura Marling has etched her way into the consciousness of the British public with every swift stroke of her pen. Her songwriting ability far outweighs her tender years and it is for this reason that fans flocked to London’s Royal Festival Hall despite the lack of any new release for over two and a half years.

That said, the set she delivered was packed full of new tunes – in fact only four of the songs were from her debut album “Alas, I Cannot Swim” – and each was devoured with fervor by the audience. Even those sat behind the stage, with a fantastic view of Marling’s back throughout the show, lapped it up.

However, this show wasn’t all about Marling – this time she brought along her “Friends,” a group of suitably bohemian just-rolled-out-of-bed types that together form the Brighton-based Wilkommen collective. The audience was introduced to the idea from the humorous opening video, which served as a much more coherent explanation than Marling’s nervous between-song banter (awkward, but it works).

Interspersed throughout her set, various members showcased their own brand of folk to the receptive crowd, bringing a real homely feel to the whole production. There is clearly a lot of love in this circle – and rightly so, they are a mega talented bunch. Of those to feature, names included Marling’s former tour buddy Andrew Bird, producer/songwriter Ethan Johns, Alessi’s Ark, Johnny Flynn, Mumford and Sons, Peggy Sue, Pete Roe and the Sons of Noel and Adrian clan.

As well as performing their own material, the group provided a warm vocal backdrop to the likes of Marling’s 'Crawled Out of the Sea' and the second, full-band appearance of Peggy Sue – the latter invited back by Marling so the audience could hear the true potential of their song. Aww, bless.

A brilliant and well-produced show, the only downside was the fact it couldn’t be re-lived by listening to Marling’s new album – so when will we see it, Laura??

Words by Jennifer Wilson