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| The Hampdens Live |
| by Anna Rees | |
| Mon:05-May-08 | |
      
The Hampdens’ ethereal, echoing melodies are the ideal soundtrack to a dissonant adolescence. They sing about love, loss and being young. The band’s show at the Toff in Town was dramatic, theatrical and surprising. From the moment they pulled back the stage curtains, it was clear that there was an element of the spectacular conjured for their stage show. The stage itself was decorated with white balloons tied to every possible surface and the band (joined by two extra musicians for the show) was adorned in white. Although slightly reminiscent of garden tea-party set up, the backdrop provided the perfect setting for their haunting tunes and swirling electro folk-pop. A live setting allowed the band to add some definitive beat and drive to the songs as the tunes veered between up-tempo jazz numbers to slower, more melancholic folk tunes. The set included recent songs such as the sweet pop of ‘Asleep on the Lawn’ and the electro fun of ‘Generation Y’, as well as older tracks such as ‘Croupier’. Singer Susannah is the ideal front-woman – enigmatic, hypnotic, utterly engaging. A seemingly reluctant spotlight-grabber, she delivered an understated vocal performance which veered between jazzy and earthy to heady chanteuse. The band was joined onstage by John and Dan Hume from Evermore (they share the same management) for a cover of the Fleetwood Mac classic 'Rhiannon', John demonstrating his chops on guitar while Dan alternated between singing back up during the chorus and bashing away on another drum kit. Dan stayed onstage for a few more songs and his intense thrashing of the drum kit was the perfect juxtaposition to Susannah’s ethereal singing and helped drive the haunting melodies for which the Hampdens have built a reliable following. The set finished with the candy synth of ‘Generation Y’ which saw the Hume brothers back on stage as the song morphed into a cover of the Flaming Lips’ ‘Do you realise?’. The set descended into a cacophony of drums and electro keyboard with Susannah’s breathy head voice soaring to its full perfection. After the instrumentation dropped away, only her voice remained, resonating through the venue, her vibrato on the last few phrases eliciting small gasps of appreciation from the audience. The show finished up with the band and the Hulme brothers erupting into balloon destroying chaos – not so garden tea party after all. The Hampdens set was inspired and entertaining. The band is releasing a record later this month which will hopefully be supported by a series of shows. They may not be joined by the Hume brothers at each show, but their flair for the theatrical coupled with their catchy, enchanting melodies ensures a good show.
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