Okay, so the Windmill in Brixton isn’t the kind of venue you’d want to see Beyonce play (and I have it on good authority that if you did want to see her play, you wouldn’t be welcome there anyway) but a perspiring crowd saw Broken Family Band play an intimate afternoon gig there on Saturday. The Cambridge quintet have a wide host of influences, have a very strong fan base, and really enjoy playing together – combined with sounding great, you’ve got a darn good set-up. They’re also really, really nice guys, and front man Steven Adams kept the crowd pleased with his satirical anecdotes and nonchalant charm. I’m not one for quirky tactics, such as plying your audience with booze, jewellery or airline tickets, but the cake-fuelled interval and occasional free glass of wine actually suits this band’s happy-go-lucky, likeable presence. This also gave lead Adams an excuse to hurl expletives at us during the second half, which, of course, had the crowd in hysterics.
Experts in music pastiche, the BFB throw you from melancholic guitar ballads, to anthemic rock anthems, to smooth country and folk inspired rhythms. Seeing them live is a bit like riding a roller coaster that you actually want to ride. Songs like Devil in the Details and Cocktail Lounge are haunting and emotive and show the BFB as natural storytellers. Happy Days are Here Again (as the name suggests) was an uplifting, lively number and a crowd favourite. The somewhat up-tempo Love Your Man, Love Your Woman was a particular highlight for me and definitely worth a mention as it’s their new single – out now!!
They are constantly exploring new directions with their music, and the Summer brings a number of festivals and a new album amidst rising acclaim. The Broken Family Band are deservers of success and I hope that they can manage to retain their intimate charm and like-ability if and when they make it big. Look out for them at a small, sweaty venue near you – there are few better ways to spend a Saturday afternoon.
Categories ,Band, ,Family Day Out, ,Folk, ,Influence, ,Live, ,The Windmill
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