On Margate Sounds

Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate  

29 August 2010    

Well, there was some sun, amid some sharp showers – and a gale that by evening was whipping tin cans down Eastern Esplanade like scrapyard tumbleweed…  

What a splendid day:  a wide range of different styles, some great performances, and a mellow and friendly mood.  A shame the theatre wasn't fuller - but the select band were very satisfied customers and word will surely spread for more next time.    

Monster Bobby’s quirky songs and samples made a strong start before he rushed off to emigrate, sidestepping encore requests and any risk of being mobbed by the steadily growing audience. (‘Elvis has now left the country…’)   

We fortified ourselves with custard pies and doughnuts and watched some films before being inducted into Panther Society’s distinctive sound world.    

Liz Green’s beguiling mix of songs, story-telling and shadow-puppetry followed.  Fenist the Falcon shook a tail feather, with the shade of Jake Thackray lurking approvingly somewhere in the house.  Liz deserves some award for travelling down from Manchester for her slot and being ready to go straight back, before being persuaded to stay over.  And she deserves a plug for her beautifully packaged Crow Cries EP. 

  

Next up, Tom White played a mellow set of acoustic songs, including a fine cover of Nick Drake’s 'Time Has Told Me' – which is not one for the faint-hearted.   

Rob Hart shook things up completely with a strong and compelling Eaten By Children set, mixing in found cine images and winning over audience members who’d normally run a mile from anything labelled noise.    

Finally four fifths of Two Wings (sounds like the start of a maths puzzle…) blended Hanna Tuulikki’s otherworldly vocals with fine guitar, melodic bass and solid, anchoring harmonies.  The band sometimes seemed tentative and may have been missing their drummer, but it was a lovely set and full of promise.    

Well done, Jess and Sian for pulling it all together and Eoin for making it sound so good.  More, please.