Floral Image
It has been a real we-were-there moment. Right now, it feels like we are witnessing something extremely special.
artist
Tonight’s the night for the year’s most eagerly awaited gig in one of the most unique settings you’re ever likely to be in, it’s halfway down the St Lawrence Steps in the heart of Norwich, just off of St Benedicts Street if you didn’t know. There, lies the Holloway and it’s quite a magical venue at that.
Upon arrival, it’s already a great vibe outside on the pavement with band members casually and happily mingling with the lucky sixty punters that have managed to secure a ticket for tonight’s warm up gig prior to their appearance at the Latitude festival the next day. One man has even travelled all the way over from Swansea for the occasion.
Once inside, it’s like our very own intimate house party, in our own front room. It’s absolutely rammed and roasting hot in here too with the sweat already running down our backs, as everyone cosily tucks into the packed room downstairs. They turn the volume down a notch for a much more mellow sound than normal and deliver a very carefully reworked set containing nine songs, mainly taken from the debut album ‘Gone Down Meadowland.’
The thing about these smaller cosy gigs is that you really do get to see the band more closely at work and it’s an absolute delight to see them plying their trade, stripped down. You can even, more readily hear their influences this evening, my head is hearing Steely Dan, Joy Division, Echo & the Bunnymen, (early) UB40 (they were amazing once upon a time), The Beta Band and The Rolling Stones!
There is such a cool vibe in the air, despite the lack of it in the basement as every note is lapped up and well and truly savoured by the audience. As Babe & The Devil closes, a handful of people burst into Hey Jude. The banter then goes up a notch, with calls for Angels! Robbie (Williams) then gets wrongly accused of stealing the said song from some Irish fella! Oh well, who cares, it all helps to spread even more joy and happiness in the room. Hopefully the wild accusations will not be followed up by a lawsuit!
Once again it’s been a truly remarkable performance, a quite beautiful moment in time from a remarkable band, it’s just been so jaw droppingly brilliant to witness this tonight, they are such a close collective and I truly hope that they have gone onto have a most amazing time in Suffolk at the festival, where undoubtedly they will have won over many new admirers by the time that you are reading this.
It has been a real we-were-there moment. Right now, it feels like we are witnessing something extremely special. Dizzy heights indeed beckon for Floral Image if they can maintain this current momentum.
I am sure that the punter from South Wales, would agree.
