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Stornoway

Venue: The Ritz
Town: Manchester
Date: 27/11/13
Website: http://www.stornoway.eu/

A three band package saw the promise of Birmingham's Goodnight Lenin getting the nod as 'ones to watch' with their pleasant piano and guitar based songs matched with some equally effective harmonies. The set closer 'Cut Through The Wire' showing that they can do a little more than write catchy poppy numbers and have some future in the extended song format - even the lighting man getting caught out, anticipating a mid song slow of pace as the end before it sprung back to life in the darkness. Singer songwriter Sivu fared less well, his melancholy solo guitar songs having to compete with the hubbub of the swelling crowd in anticipation of the night's headliners.

Stornoway are currently in a rich vein of form and why not take the chance make hay while the sun shines. Following on from a packed out show at the Band On The Wall back in the Spring to promote their acclaimed 'Tales From Terra Firma' album, Stornoway moved to the bigger and plusher Ritz on the back of their new mini album 'You Don't Know Anything'.

Having said that, they are an unassuming bunch; bathed in deep blues and magentas with the glowing full moon of the backdrop they prefer the anonymity afforded by eschewing spotlights, and it's the quality and occasional quirkiness of the music which is the appeal; although still markedly youthful, no longer are they the fresh young faces of the alt-folk scene, Appealing to a smart young set (you can almost imagine Prince William at a Stornoway gig, shirt sleeves rebelliously rolled up round his elbows whilst neatly tucked into a leather belted waistband), who are happy to stand politely and watch and only make the most of the Ritz's famous springy dance floor by bobbing about to the final song of the evening, the instantly recognisable 'Zorbing'.

With the core of the Oxford quartet supplemented by regular live partners, Tom, Suzie & Adam Briggs whose additional percussion, violin and trumpet is very much is the icing on the cake, there was a chance to shuffle the songs in the set. After some unusual avant garde newspaper tearing and wood sawing as they came onstage, they took an early opportunity to acknowledge the locale and namecheck a few of the legendary Manchester bands during 'I Saw You Blink' (James and The Happy Mondays received cheers of recognition, slightly less so when M People's 'Search For The Hero' came through), although admitted to finding the task a bit more challenging during an earlier date on the tour in Nottingham.

The evening's highlight came with an extended unplugged session. Always a feature of their live performance is to play without the regular amplification, which becomes a little more challenging in a room as large as this, but of course, nothing less than a respectful hush was afforded Brain Briggs who kicked the section off solo by performing the poignant album closer from 'Tales', 'November Song' style before being joined by his band mates for a brand new song. 'Josephine' was introduced as a sea shanty, but with some wonderful harmonies alongside the twelve string and double bass it seemed more like a folk love song. Culminating in a full band take on 'We Are The Battery Human', and morphing into bluegrass territory, there's something to be said for Stornoway having a future in this unplugged acoustic format. You can almost picture their camper van packed with instruments and band on a coastal tour of beaches in the Summer of 2014; 'Beachcomber's Windowsill' brought to life on the beaches, seafronts and sand dunes of the UK. There's a thought.

Mike Ainscoe words and pictures