Live Review: Stars of Sunday League EP Launch @ The Luminaire, London
The folkstars were out in force on Monday night for the Stars of Sunday League‘s launch of EP ‘The Boy’s Got Prospects’.
First up were I Said Yes, who came from all over the UK to play just two tracks. FFS has been looking forward to hearing them for some time. And – despite having to switch around parts thanks to a singer with no voice – they didn’t disappoint. I Said Yes play lovely and rousing folk pop with accordion and violin. Check them out.
Next came Jay Jay Pistolet-lookalike Semaphore, Younghusband – whose lyrics can fair tell a story – and Planet Earth, whose songs invite inexorable comparisons with Young and Lost Club label mates Noah and the Whale.
Olly the Octopus, who is a strong contender for the tallest and most manly man in folk, played an politically-charged track on a battered guitar which implored “Now is the time to bring the music back to life”.
What a treat Little Words are. The covers band featuring Hugo Sheppard, Jeremy Warmsley and SOSL’s Euan Robinson played four stunning Magnetic Fields songs from the album 69 Love Songs (if you don’t have it, buy it). Their close harmonies on The Book Of Love were just beautiful.
Broadcast 2000 got to play an extended set, thanks to the non appearance of the headliners-but-one “Meat Three Gym“. Joe Steer – whose songs have been used to soundtrack many a TV advert – played with the fullest band this reviewer has seen yet and it truly is a kinetic and exciting live show. The glockenspiel player began the set by playing the walls before bashing the hell out of his poor glock with such precision he looks like he’s clockwork.
Headliners Stars of Sunday League played perfect renditions of frontman Euan Robinson’s delicate folk songs. Euan, who seemed genuinely surprised by the turn-out, had his soft Edinburgh burr and acoustic guitar joined on backing vocals and viola by Sarah Triggs and the accordion and harmonium from Max Jones.
SOSL’s lyrics are sometimes political – there’s a song about now well-known gay 70s politician Harvey Milk – sometimes personal – such as his self depricating 101 Good Reasons to do Nothing – occasionally acerbic – ”I hate the way they laugh/the way their haircuts make amends for their faces” – but always thoughtful and accompanied by uncluttered arrangement and beautiful melodies. If this show was anything to go by, FFS can’t wait to hear the EP.
Words: Lynn Roberts
Photo: Anika Mottershaw
