The Unthanks Deliver Folky Excellence In Brighton
Published
The Brighton Dome has played host to some of the most success live acts in the world and tonight it was The Unthanks turn to christen the historical walls of this almighty venue.
Opening the show was accordionist Tim Darling whose mix of comedy fueled antics had the crowd in stitches. Tim played tribute to the late Scottish singer songwriter Micheal Marra and ended his short set with an upbeat jig about the devils nectar itself.
As The Unthanks took to the stage the atmosphere suddenly took a more serious turn as the room fell into a blanket of silence, sisters Becky and Rachel were joined onstage by a variety of different musicians each set to play a crucial part in soundscaping the unorthodox yet comfortably dynamic folk sound that sent a shiver down my spine on more than one occasion that night.
Becky and Rachel’s vocal harmonies shaped so perfectly together as they finished the first half of their set with the title track of their new album ‘Mount The Air’, leaving the crowd humming on the way out, it was a memorable experience.
After the interval and another Tim Darling appearance The Unthanks showed their somewhat darker side, and there was something harrowing and sinister about their performance that I just couldn’t put my finger on, every track was coated in the folky remains of Becky and Rachel’s childhood, traditional but far from outdated.
Next up was the wonderfully put together ‘Flutter’, as one of The Unthanks’s shortest tracks of the night it was great to see them capture such elegance, emotion and drive into such a short period of time, ‘Flutter’ was thought provoking and oddly intense.
As the night began to draw to a close with an unforgettable rendition of the classic King Crimson track ‘Starless’ it was clear that The Unthanks had made their mark on Brighton, ending on such a high that the loudest thing heard all night from these soon to be folk legends was not themselves, but the crowds applause.
To find out more about The Unthanks click here.
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Words by Elliott Dixon
