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Six nights into its eight night residency at Islington’s Union Chapel and the buzz surrounding Mencap’s Little Noise Sessions is immense and with good reason. Firstly, an almost unspeakable wealth of talent have shared the same small stage over the past week and secondly its reputation for special unannounced guests. And if you needed a third reason to get excited, it’s the venue itself; where better to listen to stripped back to basics live music on a cold November evening than a visually stunning, acoustically superior, fully functioning church.
With tonight’s congregation packed tightly into the pews, a resplendent Jo Whiley wastes no time in welcoming an unscheduled Johnny Borrell and Andy Burrows of Razorlight fame to the stage. Sporting skinny black jeans and finding the time to perform a handful of songs en route to South Africa, the pair, both on acoustic guitar and backed by a solo violinist, kick off with a magnificent crowd pleasing version of ‘America’ followed by ‘Before I Fall To Pieces’ which comes complete with original demo lyrics. Grey hoodie up, Borrell and co finish with a new track ‘Hostage Of Love’, a number that bodes extremely well for the next album, before tossing plectrums into the crowd and promising to headline the event next year.
With barely enough time to take communion, folk-punk-protest singer and living legend Billy Bragg is on stage with guitar in hand and launches into a rousing version of ‘Sexuality’. Inconspicuously dressed, its not long before he does what he does best and spits his grassroots politics all over the stage and the front row for that matter, in the form of ‘Great Leap Forward’ and ‘I Keep Faith’. Unfazed by this most intimate of performances the highlight of a fantastic set is the closing number ‘New England’ which sees a nervous looking Kate Nash willingly provide backing vocals and piano accompaniment.
Another quick turnaround and another act on stage, The Ting Tings might be relatively unheard of, but tonight alone promises a big future for their blend of clever brassy pop. Singer Katie White’s seductively natural vocal propels the set along through fits and bursts with ‘Traffic Light’, ‘That’s Not My Name’ and an inspired cover of Beats International ‘Dub Be Good To Me’, complete with “Tank fly boss walk jam nitty gritty” insert. Drumsticks in hand, White brings a highly polished set to a close with the bands deliriously big forthcoming single ‘Fruit Machine’ in the process providing an insight into what the future of British music might hold.
Described by Jo Whiley as a stylish woman with a “very firm handshake” is Robyn; Sweden’s new ambassador of pop. It’s hard to know what to expect but backed by a string quartet, guitar and piano, it’s looking extremely promising. Full bodied posture, big breathes and almost operatic throughout, ‘Dream On’, ‘Handle Me’, ‘Bum Like You’ and ‘Eclipse’ provide the backbone to an emotionally charged and sterling performance. If there was ever any doubt about her credentials for performing tonight, they’ve been well and truly shattered. ‘Be Mine’ allows for a fantastic string arrangement and piercing vocal before an extremely touching rendition of ‘With Every Heartbeat’. It’s so affecting in fact, that it brings tears to Robyn’s eyes and probably to many more in the audience.
So far, so very good, but headlining tonight is the flame haired street poetess Kate Nash. Piano draped in red, stage front and centre, cup of herbal tea in hand and a timid “Hello”, Nash initiates a constant stream of album favourites including ‘Mariella’ and ‘Skeleton Song’. Leaving the ivories to stand in favour of a semi-acoustic guitar, ‘Birds’, ‘Dickhead’ (“It’s a bit rude for a church!”) and an untitled new track are all belted out to shouts of “I love you” and rapturous applause from a hardcore following. Despite a playful nervousness and middle distance stare, there’s plenty more to come. ‘Mouthwash’ is forcefully executed and ‘Foundations’ receives the predicted response it fully deserves. As the band leave the stage, little Miss Nash is all on her own to provide a fitting end to a fantastic set in the form of ‘Little Red’.
It’s been an amazing night of almost constant music from start to finish and although after the talent displayed over the past week it would be disrespectful to say that next year's Little Noise Sessions are bound to be better, they’re almost guaranteed to be bigger. But 2008 is a long way off and with two nights left to go all eyes are still very firmly on 2007.
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