Ferris & Sylvester live in Edinburgh

Ferris & Sylvester at the Mash House

Sometimes it's good to have your expectations confounded. yes it can be a surprise. Yes it can catch you off guard and confuse you. But sometimes if those upturning your expectations do so with a verve and charm that is sincere that confusion is overcome.

I had this experience going to see Ferris & Sylvester. Expecting an evening of gentle folk with a dash of rockabilly swagger I was confounded. I got the swagger in spades but was not expecting the joyous straight ahead blues drenched rock that they presented the audience with.

My familiarity with the band came from their arresting debut ep 'Made in Streatham' but somewhere after that they've obviously been on a musical journey that has brought them to the muscular blues rock that sees Issy Ferris throwing classic rock chops with her red bass and showing some strong rock vocals. Archie Sylvester matches her with his blues shredding. I'd be tempted to shout 'Judas' but that would spoil the party.

They showcased songs from their forthcoming album and showed clear evidence of a summer of festivals in the audience participation stakes. Those festival appearances, though, have seen them grow and develop not just a rapport with the audience and an ability to take those folk with them on the journey.

It was, for me, an unexpected sound and evening but one where I just had to admire their chutzpah and boldness of delivery. I'm think this is a band we'll be hearing quite a lot more from soon.

https://www.ferrisandsylvester.com/

A Night to Remember - Native Harrow live in Edinburgh

You kind of know that you are likely to be in for a challenging night when you turn up to a gig and find the stage is taken up with a full stage television screen showing football.....

…...not just any screen but reputedly the biggest HD screen in Scotland. Ok.

Am I in the right place? On the right night? I check the bar staff - 'Is there a band playing tonight?' 'Sure they're on at 10' Noting my glance at the huge screen they add 'The screen rolls up.'

Suitably reassured but still slightly apprehensive I order a pint and find a seat. Scanning the assembled audience I make some demographic assumptions. Younger audience than usual at an Americana gig but who's here for the football on the big screen and who's here for the sublime sounds of Native Harrow?

Too many questions already for a Tuesday night. I spot a local promoter who looks as out of sorts as me but he does get into the football, a bit. I hear someone else ask if there is music on tonight. Napoli are playing a slow burn demolition of Liverpool so it's good to know that others are as confused I am.

Just after ten the screen rolls up as promised and Native Harrow take the stage to perform one of two sets of beautiful and mesmerising folk americana. The beguilingly gentle but strong vocals Devin Tuel manage to cut through the lifeless venue and reach the ears of the receptive in the audience. Which going from the polite but fairly enthusiastic applause which follows each songs gives me some hope that the band feel the same.

I'm not sure though and reckon that they have read the venue and audience and realise that they'll have to chalk this booking up to experience and just hunker down and get through the sets. Whatever, they do just that and with open ears I lap up the sound as is washes over the stage and through the audience catching me with its insistence and intense beauty. I'm glad I came.

It's a great shame that for their first appearance in Edinburgh that Native Harrow were in such a lifeless place with such a mismatched audience.

I tweeted them later to let them know that at least one member of the audience enjoyed their efforts and would want to see them again. Somewhere else though.

Author note: I'm not going to name the venue here other than to say that I used to come to it many years ago when it had another name and saw some packed and enjoyable gigs there from these bands - Goodbye Mr McKenzie, The Rubber Dolphinarium, the Shop Assistants, the Truth and others (ok, I did heckle a couple of those bands). The last time I was there was when I used to go to clubs that played Hip Hop and found that House music was not to my liking. 

https://www.nativeharrow.com/