The August List at Club Velocity

It’s another busy night down at Club Velocity at The Rising Sun, probably one of the best regularly promoted nights you’ll come to in Reading, even taking into account the sometimes ropey PA. Tonight there are three bands, all of which I’d be more than happy to see, that they’re on the same bill is a bonus. The line up is Luke Paulo and the Grapefruits, August List and Vienna Ditto. I’m only here to review August List however, so I can kick back and relax as Luke Paulo kicks the night off with his first gig proper with his newly formed backing band.

Every time I’ve seen August List I always come away thinking the same thing, I must go see them more often, unfortunately life and a plethora of other gigs to cram in seem to conspire to make this not so. If you’ve not seen the band of two, I won’t call them a duo as they play more instruments than most bands with three times the members, they are a roots Americana/backwards country affair hailing from Dorset but now based in Oxfordshire. They are Kerraleigh – Vocals, Harmonica, Percussion, Melodica, Stylophone and pump organ, along with Martin – Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Vocals, Banjo, Percussion and big bass drum. Together they make a heavenly foot stomping sound full of texture, sing along lyrics and the sort of tunes that put a broad grin on your face. If these two lived in the southern states of the US they’d would, I’ve no doubt, be constantly in demand and on tour.

Ok, so at this point I’ll have to apologise if i get any song names wrong as most weren’t introduced, so i made educated guesses, undoubtedly all wrong. They kick off tonight with an excellent tune ‘Cut your teeth’ which sets the tone for a set that has raw rough edges yet is beautifully emotive. Kerraleigh has her work cut out as instrumentation changes for each song along with singing duties, her voice at times reminding me of Tammy Wynette and then at others of Janis Joplin. Whilst Martin delivers the rhythm and beat of the band and has a slightly gruffer, warm and mellow folk vocal, together they compliment each other perfectly. As we head through the set I recognise tracks off their debut Handsome Skin EP, including the witty ‘Death Penalty’, one of my favourites ‘Bird House Song and the exceptionally catchy ‘Forty-Rod of Lightnin’, I seriously have had that tune constantly buzzing around my tiny brain for the last week. The set weaves its way through a mixture of instrumentation and songs that go all the way from easy going to a full on foot stomping finale. All this is tied together with a stage presence that is confident, warm and charming, and from an audience perspective one that makes you feel you’re welcomed in as part of the performance. By the time the set is reaching its climax the crowd are moving, feet are beating the rhythm and even the heads at the back are nodding along.

So, what are you waiting for, go get down, and take in some porch country folk style sounds when they hit a venue near you, I promise, it’ll be worth it.

Check out The August List at https://www.facebook.com/theaugustlistmusic