Fleet Foxes

I have loved this band since first hearing White Winter Hymnal last year. I love them even more now after seeing them last night at the O2 Academy in Newcastle.Obviously lots of other people love them because it was packed out with mostly people my age. So I bet I heard them first on Radio 2- probably Radcliffe and Maconie's show. But where I heard them first doesn't really matter except to the 18 year old music fan that still lurks inside me which think that Radio 2 is for old people (like my Mum and Dad and not for young, cool people like me). But what really matters is that this band can really do it live.

I have always loved vocal harmony groups through Doo Wop, The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, The Housemartins etc and Fleet Foxes do the vocal harmony thing exceptionally well. I was stunned from the outset and so were the crowd as there was precious little of the talking about work, sex, football etc and sing a longs that bedevils gig going these days. We were in full rapt attention but enthusiastic in our appreciation.
I got to hear White Winter Hymnal and Mykonos live (my two favourites) and they sounded even better than they do on the album. Robin Peckinfold did some solo numbers including one song which was done completely acoustically; guitar not plugged in , no microphone just him singing and playing without any amplification. The crowd was silent and it was a real goosebumps- tears in the eyes- moment. It takes a lot to silence a 2000 strong Geordie crowd but we were all silent.

I have described them to other people as like Nirvana on their MTV Unplugged recording but that has as much to do with the Seattle connection as anything and doesn't do them justice.They share the beards and long hair and sort of Americana hippy clothing style but it is the vocal harmonies that set them apart.

They have a nice laid back slightly awkward on stage style and Robin seems a bit geeky and could improve his on stage in- between song banter but that didn't detract from the real musicianship on show. I felt I was in the presence of truly gifted musicians. Yes absolutely anyone can play the guitar but it takes a real gift to be able to play it and the other instruments like they can.I haven't posted any of their stuff but that is only because I don't have any on this PC. I will post some in the near future.

Go and see them if you can. You won't be disappointed.