Folk That with Haiku Salut

Another new year, and a brand new in-house night at Norwich Arts Centre with the first of their 'Folk That' evenings arranged for those fans of alt-folk who are open-minded enough to also welcome elements of anything from dream-pop to experimental electronica. As if to distinguish these nights from most of the more traditional folk gigs held at this esteemed venue, the seats have been removed, and the auditorium becomes standing-only, increasing the capacity and allowing the audience to get closer to the action.

As with the Arts Centre's 'Pony-Up' evenings, value for money is guaranteed with a line-up that consists of five acts for a door-busting price of £4.50. You couldn't even buy a pint of lager for that in trendier parts of London, or even some of Norwich's clubs and bars.

By juggling acts between the main auditorium and the smaller stage in the café-bar we are treated to an almost seamless evening of music, starting with Mat Riviere in the hall before Tom Eagle took a turn in the bar. 

Mat Riviere I had seen previously supporting East India Youth at the Arts Centre, and his work is often dark and deeply personal, electronic sampling and beats mixing with his angst-ridden moody baritone vocals. Anyone who calls their album 'Not Even Doom Music' is clearly looking for something, and that in itself lends itself to the traditions of folk, even if the end result appears about as far away from Hey Nonny-Nonny as it is possible to get.

After Tom Eagle in the bar it's migration time for all but the hardiest and determined of drinkers back into the hall for Inlay, a four-piece that met in Norwich a few years back, yet whom I have never before had a chance to see. Tonight I get to hear three-quarters of the band - accordion player and percussionist Andy Weeks is missing, leaving Ross Grant (violin), Nick Sanchez-Ray (banjo) and James Porter (guitar and vocals) to provide me with my first listen. It is more like folk music as we know it Jim, supplemented with the ubiquitous Nord keyboard and some electronic pads to give it a modernist flavour in keeping with 'alternative'. Nice enough, but I would have loved to have heard that accordion fleshing out the sound a bit more.

Inlay (well, 75% of them)

True Adventures in the Bar may sound like a Sunday morning recap of a bawdy Saturday night out with the lads, but for this evening 'True Adventures' is the alter-ego of a certain Samuel Leonard Keith Leonard (real name). It's the third time I've seen him play - last time it was to a perfectly behaved audience just up the road in The Bicycle Shop. Tonight it is a more challenging set to the backs of people's heads as they refil their glasses at the bar, so the brave thing to do is to encourage folk to move forwards. Better playing to the whites of their eyes than their balding pates. It's a good move and, with the attention held, we are treated to his songs with gentle storytelling atmospherically driven by the electric guitar. There's even a free promotional CD on offer, featuring the beautiful 'North Atlantic Ocean'. The 'Sound And Vision' tribute to Bowie was a nice touch.

True Adventures

Last, but certainly least, Haiku Salut emerge tentatively onto the main stage, almost without the audience noticing. They are three musicians hailing from the Derbyshire Dales, and their second album 'Etch and Etch Deep' got mostly 8's and 9's in the press reviews on its release last year. 

Referring to their own music as 'Baroque-pop-folktronic-neo-classical-something-or-other' may be slightly tongue-in-cheek, but it really is difficult to classify. When Louise Croft picks up the accordion we are in Yann Tiersen territory. Towards the end of the set, where all three are pushing the percussion whilst still playing their instruments, it reminds me of Woodkid. The glockenspiel is reminiscent of Jon Brion. In fact, the whole set is like a cinematic soundtrack, with the musicians far too busy scurrying around the effect pedals and swapping instruments to have time left over to acknowledge the audience with anything more than a mute smile. Some of their earlier gigs were supplemented with old charity shop lamps synched into a disco-box. Tonight we have nothing to watch except the three girls busying themselves. Addressing the audience is not essential, but for those of us unfamiliar with their work, a printed setlist would have been useful.

Haiku Salut

So, it can be concluded that the first 'Folk That' was a huge success - thanks to Will and Rosie for putting it together. The huge crowd was a fitting reward for all their hard work, and showing that when thinking of folk music it is most definitely possible to venture outside of the box, and still attract an almost full house. 

Anna Pancaldi at The Bicycle Shop

It is an excited Anna Pancaldi that takes to the tiny stage at Norwich's Bicycle Shop in St.Benedicts Street. Not only is she surprised by the number of people that have packed into the small downstairs bar on a Monday evening, but it is the first night of her first headlining tour.

We have been warmed up by local (via Cornwall) singer songwriter Samuel Leonard Keith Leonard, who has one of the strangest names ever and so performs under the moniker of True Adventures, which he freely admits is easier to find on Google once you get past all the outdoor activity sites. Sam, for that is how he introduced himself, performed a set of self-penned songs as well as a cover of  Chris Staples' 'Dark Side of The Moon' (no, not that one). Playing electric guitar, but singing in a distinctly folk style, the highlight of the set is his single 'North Atlantic Ocean', which was recorded with an orchestrated contribution from local band Wooden Arms.

True Adventures

Once Pancaldi has gotten over the fact that we have turned out to see her commence her tour we learn the other reason for her excitement, one which she literally has to keep under her hat until Wednesday. She is to be one of the faces for the launch of the new campaign for Levi 700 jeans, and one of her tracks is to be used for the advertisements. Presumably this is why she is obliged to wear the jeans, boots and hat that she sports in the teaser ads on social media.

Other than her impending fame as a denim-sporting ambassador for the American fashion brand, I knew very little about this Essex born singer songwriter, other than her parents now live in the Orkneys, and that she spent three years of her teens in South Africa before returning with her family to Chappel (home to the famously huge brick viaduct). Now London based, she has attracted attention of Huw Stephens, Tom Robinson and Gaby Roslin at the BBC, has supported the likes of Rita Ora and Rudimental, and has released one EP 'Black Tears', and has another all set to leave the nest. Perhaps this is the last chance to see and hear her perform in such intimate surroundings.

After being complimented for being so quiet and attentive (the famous Bicycle Shop fish tank is apparently making more noise than we are), she takes us through a set that includes tracks from both EP's, as well as a beautiful cover of Bob Marley's 'Waiting in Vain'. Her vocal range is reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, although her style is not dissimilar from fellow Essex performer, and frequent visitor to Norwich, Leddra Chapman. Comparisons to the late, great Eva Cassidy would also not be a million miles off the mark. Standout moments for me were the acapella delivery of 'Nightingale' (off Black Tears), and the totally unplugged version of the lead track 'Out Ahead' with which she ended the set. No disrespect to the Bicycle Shop's sound system, but the room simply took on a new dimension when she played that song without any amplification. Spine tingling.

And so we await the release of the new EP, and also that mystery Levi track, which she hints is much more up-tempo than the rest of her material. Perhaps I should have hung around and bought a signed copy of 'Black Tears' after all.

Anna Pancaldi's website gives full details of her music, and links to the relevant i-Tunes pages, at http://www.annapancaldi.com/#intro-section . No doubt we'll see the Levi advert all over the web from Wednesday.