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| Half Moon Run...bringing diversity to the capitol. Photography - Joe Curtis. |
HALF MOON RUN - LIVE AT ROUGH TRADE EAST, LONDON - 31/1/2014
By Gareth Hack.
Early Friday evening in East London was miserable, wet, windy and cold. But there was something worth heading out for, Half Moon Run had returned for a brief visit to the UK to make their presence known both on Radio 1's Live Lounge and to do a one off record store show at Rough Trade East. There is something quite special about in-store performances and this show was a perfect example to back up that statement. An atmosphere of genuine excitement was noticeable as smiling fans swiftly filled up the floor in front of the tiny stage set up. Moments later, the lights dimmed and the band took to the stage much to the delight of the cheering audience. The good old British weather was no issue for the people at Rough Trade, they were here to check out a band that have gained real attention off critics recently and they didn't leave regretting it. The band open the set with electronic influenced '21 Gun Salute', and with the inclusion of all members makes a real impact as it builds to the chorus. Lead singer Devon Portielje belting out his vocals from the get go with the harmony backing throughout the set added by all members. Devon, Conner Molander, Dylan Phillips and Isaac Symonds have a collective sound that they should be proud of. Contributing individual musicianship qualities for the benefit of producing good songs is what this young band have already managed to achieve in a short space of time. As each song finishes up the crowd are more than happy to tell the band how much they appreciate them, which the band themselves seemed to enjoy. A short, but sweet set was exactly what Half Moon Run needed to pull off on this trip and that's what they did. Personal highlights in the set included the delicate Jeff Buckley similarity perceived in 'Unofferable' and the slick tempo in 'She Wants To Know'. Half Moon Run have been known for their lengthy touring schedules and as a result they have earned themselves the ability to master these songs from their debut album. Like I said before, there seems an honest atmosphere at the show and as Devon explains to the crowd how he cut his finger and bled all over his guitar last time he played in London it becomes clear that the intimacy of shows like this are hard to come by. A relaxed band and a relaxed audience are a great combination as it almost seems like all pressure has been taken and stripped back to its basics, with no hidden agendas. 'Full Circle' gains the biggest cheer of the evening and people are singing it back to the band word for word. 'Call Me In The Afternoon' with its catchy pop assets and impressive rhythmic qualities also have the same effect on the record store audience. Throughout the set the band look like they really enjoy what they do, moving about the stage, chatting between songs easily and smiling away as if they had just stumbled across a sound that they feel genuinely content with. At the end of the set Devon announces the group's next return to the UK will be during Summer and its the perfect way to end a show with a crowd that seems to want more. This show as a whole ticked all the boxes for me, intimate, relaxed, good sound, honest and genuine. This for me, is what live music is all about.
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