It’s the last night of the Smoke Fairies tour. They’re quiet, they look a little weathered (although beautiful as always) and are probably looking forward to a long sleep… but not tonight. Tonight’s it’s London’s Scala, playing to a packed audience and following two bright young things in support, namely the new Frank Spencer of the excitable folky world, Sea of Bees, and sweetness and light Lucy Rose.
The supports are superb. Sea of Bees has been making some waves on the alt-folk circuit of late with her squarky and quirky vocals subtly bobbing over cutesie melodies. Despite hearing her album, I wasn’t expecting this, even with the Myspace description of Japanese pop! She’s odder than she sounds on record and fascinating to watch most of the time, but there are a few hide your face in your hands moments where the quirkiness morphs into something reminiscent of watching a child in their first school play. Cringe! Minor theatrics aside, Sea of Bees is great and she definitely wins a few followers out here.
Pretty as a picture Lucy Rose is a stark contrast, but a lovely one. Her voice oozes innocence, but with a husky richness. Dare I say it, I teeny bit Dido-esque, but without so much shitness and dullness. But tonight’s sweetness isn’t really down to her, but the four gents who have joined her on stage. The cellist and drummer especially made Lucy’s good side of average songs something a little more magical.
But of course the night belonged to two other ladies, whose presence, coolness and song writing blew the supports out of the water. Country girls Katherine and Jessica couldn’t be further from the image of two Sussex folk musicians. They’ve refined their blend of English folk and American blues to make something that sounds dark, almost sinister, capturing years of influences from the likes of PJ Harvey. Their voices, teetering on some well-to-do middle England, blend together beautifully, contrasting the slight filth in their flawless guitar playing. It’s wonderful.
The finest moments from last year’s ‘Through Low Light’ and ‘Trees’ make it into the set and stand out, especially ‘Devil in my Mind’ and ‘Eerie Lackawanna’.
‘Gastown’, with its almost operatic choral intro, is one of the highlights of the night; it’s juxtaposition of varying styles throughout keeps every pair of Scala eyes transfixed. The slide playing in ‘Living with Ghosts’ is also sublime, bringing a new depth to a sound that, while mesmerising, can get a little monotonous too.
The night ends with a cover of Killing Joke’s ‘Requiem’, a much more raucous affair than the Smoke Fairies’ own songs. But it slightly kills the mood for me – I wanted to be left with that sense of misty eeriness that this pair creates so well.
Words by Gemma Hampson
