I meant to publish this on the 25th December but events and celebrations overtook. Better late than never eh? 

Happy Christmas Day one and all. Here in Spain the skies are bright and the heads are dull after entertaining lovely neighbours last night. Sonic Breakfast has just put a fire on to take the nip out of the chill and, with Cava in hand, is now ready to continue the 2019 countdown. 

One of the bands that I managed to see most in 2019 was Wovoka Gentle. Before the year started they were simply, to me anyway, an act that I’d once stumbled upon on a Sunday afternoon at a small festival and subsequently blogged about (here). Now, they’ve supported the Flaming Lips on a UK tour. They are pure and simply a fantastic live proposition and always delightful to watch. Except on a Brighton pier when they were a bit wobbly. They had just had their instruments stolen from a van.

Eighth slot in this Sonic Breakfast top ten is thus an easy one to consider. I’m going for the gig at Omeara put on by the wonderful Yucatan records and showcasing three from their stable. I adored the way this venue nestled beside a larger complex. I’ve returned lots since to munch the street food on offer and to be bombarded by all sorts of delights in the wider space that surrounds. But back in March, gig going was my only intent.

And what a night it was. (written about here)

Josiah and the Bonnevilles were up first. Keep an eye out for Josiah and gang should you ever get the chance to see them live. Josiah, solo for the night, seemed like an odd addition to the bill back in March but that was before I really understood the nature of Yucatan records. They’re not fixated by genre and simply sign stuff that meets a quality threshold. Thus, Americana can sit beside pop, skewed folk and electronica with ease.

It’s such a shame to discover that Swimming Girls have split in the last couple of months. I didn’t entirely fall in love with them back in March but had no qualms about their Glastonbury Emerging talent shortlisting. They were undoubtedly exciting prospects and we all watch with interest to see what comes next from their talented members. 

Wovoka Gentle will continue to bloom. They might become too big for this blog in the way that the likes of IDLES have previously done. They might not. But my 2019 has been enriched by having their live show to depend upon. 

Back later today with more of the countdown. 

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Show me a better and more solid live proposition in 2019 than Wovoka Gentle and I’ll be there with bells on. Let’s not beat around the bush here – Wovoka Gentle’s unique approach to live music-making is jaw-dropping; from splodges of sound and harnessed beats emerge the most beautiful of melodies; harmonic juice born out of the most intense of concentrates. This triumvirate astound with their innate electronic folk togetherness. Just see them should you get the chance.

Sonic Breakfast first became aware of their class after randomly walking past the stage they were playing on at the fine Nozstock festival. That’s been documented here previously in this blog. I’d pay to see Wovoka Gentle but their record label, Yucatan, has generously put on a lovely Monday night free show at Omeara. It’s another new London venue for me and it’s no-brainer to head along to the collection of railway arches just down from London Bridge.

Omeara is an ace venue. I’m none too sure where it starts and others begin. Once I’ve got my hand stamped and briefly look at the faux-dungeon crossed with music hall facility of the main venue, I wander through a series of connected rooms to see bars and street food spaces. A more upmarket version of a Budapest ruin bar, I sit eating pizza, drinking beer and waiting for the music to kick off.

 Josiah (from Josiah & The Bonnevilles) is tonight’s special guest. The crowd watch with interest despite his style bearing minimal resemblance for what will follow. He’s got a birthday coming up in the next few hours and gives quick nods to friends and family in the audience who’ll no doubt be celebrating with him. Catch him at the right angle and Josiah could be Brad Pitt’s shorter and younger brother. These tunes from Tennessee, mostly performed on acoustic guitar but with a brief piano break, are classic Americana. He’s Ryan Adams pre-disgrace. There’s a vibration to Josiah’s vocal not dissimilar to the one employed by Conor Oberst. My favourite tune of his that I hear draws influence from George Jones. “It’s about the saddest song on a record, the hidden-away one that you can’t stop listening to because you’re fucked up”, says Josiah.

The room gets really busy for Swimming Girls. It’s not surprising given that they’re flavour of the month in some quarters. I confess though that, on tonight’s showing, they pass me by a bit. And that’s despite having a guitar player with a Smiths lyric on his T-shirt. They’ve got a sound that’s not far removed from the excessive soft rock of the 1980’s. My notes suggest Starship or an ideal soundtrack to a recently unearthed, never-seen-before, John Hughes movie. Swimming Girls are fronted by Vanessa, a slinky, confident sort who clearly has good rapport with her crowd. When the rest of the band sit down and Vanessa plays a peeled-back number on her electric guitar, the influence of Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors comes right to the fore. There’s nothing wrong with Swimming Girls; they do what they do well and the kids love them. I guess their influences were never entirely my thing the first time around. There’s a slight exodus for Wovoka Gentle and the crowd demographic gets noticeably older.

Wovoka Gentle must surely be a sound technician’s nightmare. They bring trays of gadgets, cluttered desks of wires and mics onto stage with them pre-set. But with striking efficiency and organised calm, the three members find the right holes in which to plug things in. A violin is sound-checked. Six separate mics are given cursory attention. The three desks look inward; wires now flail across the stage; complicated neural pathways of the Wovoka Gentle brain.

The opening segment almost induces tears from this quarter. William strums an electric guitar and launches into the briefest of covers of 30 Century Man whilst Imogen and Ellie accompany with exquisite vocal harmony. “That’s our tribute to Scott Walker. He very much influenced us”, says William (or words to that effect).

As for the rest, the biggest big-up that I can give is that I make no more notes. This is a set of such variety and such pulsating beauty that I can do little more than stand transfixed. With the slightest of nods, Ellie lets Imogen know what William is thinking. It’s that sort of understanding that elevates this set beyond the norms. I think (though can’t be sure) that the beats are continuous and that the songs of highest quality merge into one. I recognise some but not all; there’s a new album out in June that’ll surely push the genius that is Wovoka Gentle further to the fore. I am dazzled again.

This is where it’s at.

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