Fleet Foxes – The Custard Factory, Birmingham
The Fleet Foxes take to the stage looking like the Magic Numbers on Slimfast. And sounding nothing like them, if you ignore the repetitive “ooh - aahs” that pervade every song that is.
Warming up and in between songs the band seem as nervous as a fox caught by a farmer with a prize chicken in its jaws; incessant water drinking, constant fiddling with guitars, mics getting moved. It doesn’t inspire confidence, and it certainly belies their talent. You almost get the feeling that if they didn’t have to do anything other than turn up, play and go home they’d already be top of the world. It’s just the audience interaction that needs a little tweaking.
This was but a fleeting (one hour) audition. However on this performance they won’t be able to keep their varied talents hidden for much longer, and may soon become as common as (and hopefully more popular than), the animals from which they take their name. They already have quite a following judging by the large and varied demographic on show at Friday’s gig.
If you liked the debut album, then you would be pleased to see 5 of the 11 tracks forcing their way onto the set list. ‘Ragged Wood’, ‘Tiger Mountain Peasant Song’, ‘He Doesn’t Know Why’ and ‘White Winter Hymnal’ were all given an outing. However the lasting memory has to be the haunting ‘Oliver James’, an album song that sounds even better live and gives Robin Pecknold’s vocals the solo exposure they deserve. One man, his guitar and a single spotlight – magical.
For a young band not long out of America the Foxes have come a long way already, and I’m sure it won’t be long before they are leaving custard factories behind for the bright lights of bigger venues. The trick will come in trying to replicate the small gig intimacy that demonstrates their skill so well; we won’t be the only ones watching their progress with interest, certainly not after two appearances on the Jools Holland show!
Review by Patrick Dennehy
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