The Hours, Proud Galleries, December 2nd
The Hours played Proud Galleries on December 2nd
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Thursday, 04, Dec 2008 04:58
inthenews.co.uk's Rebecca Heath sees the Hours play an intimate, upbeat set in Camden.
In a lowly stable on a cold, dark wintry night, a wondrous crowd gathers to behold. the excellent seven-piece the Hours, playing one of only three sets on their mini-tour of Glasgow, Manchester and London.
The Proud Galleries in Camden, a rustic, cobbled former horse hospital, is filled with the Hours' warm, expansive sound; the stage looks a bit of a squeeze with seven of them crammed on there amongst an exciting array of musical paraphernalia, and it comes almost as a relief to discover that this eclectic mix comes together incredibly coherently.
Beginning the set with a crowd-pleaser, Ali in the Jungle, we are reminded that the Hours' mastery of bringing a sound together lies as much in their individuality as their existence as a collective. Led by two musical giants in their own right - keys genius Martin Slattery of Black Grape renown and Anthony Genn who toured extensively with Elastica and Pulp - the band is comfortable in this environment, creating thoughtful indie-rock music for a happy, mostly hero-worshipping, crowd.
Midway through the set, after a couple of new tracks (See the Light, their new single out on Monday, being one of them), the pace is picked up again with an old favourite, Back When You Were Good. Comforting guitar riffs and some beautiful piano work see the many hardcore fans mouthing all the words and staring adoringly into the eyes of Anthony Genn as he plays the role of frontman that becomes him so naturally. Narcissus Road, the title track of their 2007 album, has an equally rapturous reception, and is typical of the band's ability to create a seemingly effortless anthemic sound.
Throughout the evening, the band interacts with the crowd effortlessly - we're all graciously thanked for being present despite the cold, missing Burnley beat Arsenal 2-0 and the credit crunch. We pour out into the cold night air, oblivious, for the moment, to the cares of the world.
Rebecca Heath
Check out the video for See the Light, featuring Sienna Miller, below: