The Hoxton Bar and Kitchen is an odd venue, nestled deep in the nucleus of London’s hipster quarter. Before the show starts, soul music is piped in and, coupled with the light from a revolving disco ball, the place feels like a ’70s school dance. I think this is an attempt at an ironic gesture, but the circling light just makes me feel a bit sick.
A singular man bearing the unusual name of Beans on Toast opens the proceedings. His songs seem like they might come off as slightly cringe-worthy if sung by anyone else, but he manages to make them both charming and funny. Despite...
It only takes one glance around The Old Queen’s head to realise that tonight is about more than the music. There’s a distinct scene going on and with a diverse and disparate line up it’s obvious they’ve come for one band.
Plaster Of Paris are seemingly not that band. They produce a 1920’s throw back sound lead by singer Molly’s quirky vocals, and their myspace description of ‘melodramatic popular song’ could not be more fitting. Whilst the introduction of a gramophone horn creates an interesting sound, I’m somewhat dazed by the concluding song of their set, filled with...
Beans On Toast, a one man band otherwise known as Jay, produces folk tunes as bizarre and random as the bands name. This ten song offering has a distinctive, raw, warts and all quality. Scruffy and rugged, much like Jay’s vocals, Writing On The Wall is a satirical diamond in the rough. This is not an album for the easily offended. Tracks like artmoneyart, Oil and Methadrone are destined to insult the politically correct. Oil is an open criticism of human greed. Jay happily informs us of an imminent apocalypse, as the aforementioned fuel runs out.
‘Well this is a song about...
