Live review: Mellowtone & Drom @ The Shipping Forecast
Hafdis Huld, Ragz, & Mikhael Paskalev – Wednesday 10th November 2010
In the depths of the Shipping Forecast, Mellowtone and Drom join forces to present a second installment of Scandinavian-inspired goodness, as a part of this year’s Liverpool Music Week
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Mikhael Paskalev
First on stage is Mikhael Paskalev, who played a stunning set. A bold comparison, but there were echoes of CSNY throughout, with some fine songwriting and arrangements on display from Paskalev and his merry band. The highlight of the set was final song “Dust in the Saddle”.
Ragz
Liverpool-based Norwegian siren Ragz will be familiar to many. Holding the audience on her every word and note, her sound is becoming much more layered, and backed with a larger band, featuring violin and pedal steel, as well as the usual two acoustic guitars. “Real This” also featured a floor tom, adding extra emotional punch to the driving guitar sound.
Hafdis Huld
It was going to be tough for tonight’s headline performer – Hafdis Huld – to follow Ragz and Paskalev. And especially so when accompanied by only an acoustic guitar. However, the audience were all hers – tamed with her own brand of Icelandic and quirky cool, amusing the crowd with rapid fire ramblings between songs. Musically, Huld delivered a set of pop/folk gems, with simpler arrangements and melodies than the two acts before her but ones still sure to be hanging around your head for days.
Mellowtone www.mellowtone.info
© August 2010 Oliver Talbot