The weekend started well. Another band showcase night down at the Leicester Musician. Four varied acts all at the top of their craft and an appreciative, wise audience flexible enough to hop across genres.
Late additions, The Matchstick Men, did their cause no harm at all when they opened the night with their Springsteen-influenced sound. The Della Grants showed their consummate experience with a powerful,polished set of bar-room blues and Ash Mammal showed why just two weeks earlier their brand of twee punk (drawing influences from Marc Bolan) had the young (and old) flocking to their sell out show at the Y Theatre. All bands to watch on this local scene.
But this post is about the final band of the night, Tapestry. I simply was not prepared for the show they delivered.
There’s nothing wrong with a band that wear their influences on their sleeves but when that translates into yet more Arctic Monkey/Kasabian/Oasis wannabees I can very quickly lose the will to live. Tapestry set up on stage and there’s not a guitar in sight. Instead, here we have saxophone, drums and a bewildering array of keyboards, korgs and drum machines. The stage is a messy tardis.
Alex, Elliott and Taylor proceed to bang drums, to press keys, to bewilder with their technology. Amidst it all we get the sweetest of soul voices, bursts of sax jazz, mash-ups that fry and a charm that belies their teenage years. It’s not a rock n’roll set but it inhabits that uncertain space between band and DJ. It’s thoroughly modern, thoroughly now and I can’t wait to see them again soon.
They’ve got an EP out. Here’s a soundcloud sampler..
sonicbreakfast 