Live Review: Kingswood, Bertie Blackman, Lurch & Chief

Upon walking into the bandroom, ultra-trendy opening act Lurch & Chief are onstage and we instantly feel daggy. Although a relatively young band, they achieve a surprisingly smooth set with some promising moments. The band finish with We Are The Same, a brilliant forum for singer (of which there are two) Hayden Somerville to show off his gritty vocals.

Bertie Blackman is up next and, with the room nearly full, it's clear many people have arrived early tonight especially to see this mysteriously underrated performer in her element. Blackman achieves the perfect combination of authenticity and sheer entertainment in live performance and as she presents songs from her 2012 album Pope Innocent X, we mentally berate ourselves for not having seen her perform live before.

Kingswood arrive on stage to huge cheers from the sold-out crowd. It's not long before we hear our first piece of banter from the band, with guitarist Alex Laska attempting to flatter the audience, likening us to a “real girlfriend” as opposed to the “mistress” figure of the previous night's crowd. Hopefully this cringe-worthy analogy isn't a sign of things to come. It's a struggle to really get into this set, with the band stopping at regular intervals to repeatedly: a) discuss the fact that they've managed to realise a dream and sell out Corner Hotel; b) assess which of the band members is getting more cheers; or c) attempt some witty repartee. There are moments when it becomes obvious why Kingswood have begun to attract a lot of fans: it's a privilege to experience singer Fergus Linacre's voice live and Laska's guitar work is effortlessly brilliant. Highlights come in the form of Yeah Go Die, She's My Baby, Medusa and a cover of First Aid Kit's Wolf.     

The last song of the night is Ohio, one of the catchiest rock songs in recent times, and what will surely be the biggest moment of Kingswood's set. About halfway into the song, Linacre has an idea: He wants the entire audience to squat down (which for my plus one is a horrific prospect due to a dodgy knee). Delivered more as an order than a request, we do as we're told. At what seems like an appropriate time to resume a standing position, we all attempt to get up, at which point we're instructed by Linacre to remain squatting until drummer Justin Debrincat plays the cymbal. Although irritated by this interruption of our favourite song so that Linacre can act out some kind of boyhood rockstar fantasy, we cooperate and the song eventually resumes.

With a plethora of talent and energy, Kingswood have huge things ahead of them, including many brilliant live performances. But next time, here's hoping for a little less conversation.