After a day of supreme underachievement, something was needed to raise my spirits. Not knowing exactly what would do the trick, I thought that I might as well start at the Hug and Pint with a combined dose of Nekkuro Hána, Lucid Hound, Luthia and Aortarota.
Aortarota exuded an appealing vulnerability that reflected itself in the disconnected chords that made up her songs but, for all that some might consider flaws, she overcome it all with her mix of self-effacing charm and somewhat skewed words.
Luthia were a rather different kettle of fish Their music was that of introspective extemporisation that soon melted into a meandering, yet ultimately entrancing, melancholy. It is not often that you find a band that defines tranquillity but Luthia were such a band.
If you were looking for a counterpoint then your ears would not have to wait long for the next band, Lucid Hound, took an altogether more direct approach at kicking their songs out in to the room and indulged themselves in the kind of inventive musical meanderings that have made audiences sing at rock festivals since, oh, the dawn of rock festivals. Hell, they even threw in a guitar solo. Thumbs up for that too.
Then, just to top it all off, came the wonder that is Nekkuro Hána, On first acquaintance, your ears might perhaps think that this band existed to herald the return of jazz rock but it was just not that simple for this is a band that can walk the tightrope between musicianship and madness with rare aplomb whilst simultaneously laying down a devilish groove that would make even truly tired feet move. Throw in a trumpet – as they did – and your night has just been made.
It’s all good. Or at least it was by then and I went home happy.