O Emperor, Sons of Noel and Adrian and Alessi’s ark, Exeter Phoenix Voodoo Lounge, Sunday 31st January, 8pm
Three of the most exciting folk acts in the UK, O Emperor, Sons of Noel and Adrian and Alessi’s ark, are making Exeter their only Devon date.
O Emperor – A majestic name for an imperious band.
Hailing from Waterford, O Emperor have orchestrated a multi-layered, multi-faceted sound that betrays their tender years and that, with one giant leap puts them at the forefront of talent.
Undertaking all the production duties themselves, the band have created Po, a debut single that ploughs a supremely con?dent furrow between classic American harmonic pop and the best of British alternative music since the 80’s; think Grizzly Bear or The Beach Boys locked in a cupboard with Radiohead or The Cure…
The industry buzz around the band has manifested itself with a slew of radio sessions and national TV appearances, culminating with an invitation to appear on the much-vaunted Other Voices live TV program with The xx, Florence and the Machine and Richard Hawley amongst others.
Sons of Noel and Adrian – Having long shared a passion for rich, layered and intricate guitar music, the Sons’ deep musical exploration has quickly developed into a unique and mesmerizing style, brooding on the dark fringes of folk, crossing genres and quickly setting them apart from their contemporaries.
Jacoband Tom’s tumbling guitars are joined by a colourful host of other artists and their instruments ranging from banjo, mandolin, flute, violin and double bass, to horns, clarinet, accordion and percussion, to create dynamic textural music that ranges from shanty to Schoenburg, from deep underground to just above the surface.
The self-titled debut was released in late 2008. It quickly sold out and was re-released in April 2009 to general fanfare, triggering a monumental year for the band.
After touring twice in support of Mumford and Sons and completing headline tours of the UK and Germany, the band ended the year with a string of high pro?le shows including the Royal Festival Hall with Laura Marling, the Institute of Contemporary Arts with Peggy Sue and the Barbican with Efterklang and The Britten Sinfonia and Jaga Jazzist.
Alessi’s Ark – On the eve of her 17th birthday, Allessi’s Ark signed to Virgin Records following a meeting with Mike Mogis, producer of Rilo Kiley and member of Bright Eyes.
The resulting album, Notes From The Treehouse, was released in May, 2009, featuring full band versions of some of the songs from her Bedroom Bound EP, as well as newer compositions such as The Dog and Hummingbird. The album also featured many musicians that inspired her to begin making music including Jake Bellows of Neva Dinova and Nate Walcott from Bright Eyes.
Following the release of the album, Alessi’s Ark continued to play live around the UK and also played support to a diverse range of artists such as Laura Marling, Mariee Sioux, Emil’ana Torriniand Cerys Matthews, as well as playing the Bandstand stage at Neil Young’s Hyde Park show in London in June.
Tickets are available from Exeter Phoenix and cost £8 (£6 concessions).