King Creosote and Jon Hopkins

Date:  Wednesday 25th May 2011

Venue:  Union Chapel, Islington

The stage before the concert started - view from the front row

To say I was looking forward to this is something of an understatement given that the King Creosote and Jon Hopkins collaboration Diamond Mine is one of my albums of the year so far.  They were also playing one of my favourite venues on my 31st birthday.

The first support band Geese involved samples and fiddles in a way which I wasn't sure about at first, but which really grew on me over the course of their set.  The band members later provided violin  accompaniment to KC and JH throughout.  The second support, Luke Abott, played the laptop whilst everyone talked.  I fail to get remotely excited about this sort of thing and can only assume the protagonists have a high embarrassment threshold.

Anyway, as we drank our mugs of tea the sky outside was darkening and candles were lit along the front of the stage in anticipation of the headliners.  Before they had barely sat down I just knew we were for a treat, and "John Taylor's Month Away" has got to be one of the most beautiful songs live heard live for some time.  I know Kenny's voice is brilliant on the record, but I wasn't prepared for just how amazing it really is.  His exit stage left still singing "Your Young Voice" in lieu of fading out was inspired.  He was the star of the show for me really, but Hopkins' production techniques and array of weird and wonderful sound effects also translated to a live setting brilliantly and were a key part of what made the atmosphere so entrancing.



The lovely KC (pic courtesy of @thelawes)

 After playing the whole of Diamond Mine, Kenny played a few more songs, one of which saw a gentleman of advancing years going crazy at the front :-)  KC and JH were alone on stage for the final song, a fantastic cover of "Nothing Compares 2 U" which finished to rapturous applause and a standing ovation.  I did see them have a big hug as they left the stage, and well they might!  A brilliant performance of a brilliant record.  I'm so glad we have tickets to see them do it all again at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in September as I reckon that show will sell out soon on the back of this one.  Perhaps a Mercury Award nomination in the offing too...fingers crossed.

Review of the gig from the Evening Standard: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/music/review-23953800-king-creosote-and-jon-hopkins-sound-very-very-beautiful.do


KC and JH