Institute of Contemporary Arts

Quiet Nights: Hexicon / Naked and The Boys

Date: 18 April 2008

Heather Blair 

The law of averages says that for every good gig that you go to, you'll end up at, at least 2 or 3 that are complete rubbish – relegated to the furthest most corner of the club so your view is firmly taken up by a sea of bopping heads and not much else, moaning about how terrible the sound system is, whilst invariably holding on to a warm, flat pint. But none of that here! Thankfully, Lady Luck has been kind to the ICA's Quiet Night's season, bestowing upon it a dedicated crowd, a beautiful setting and most importantly, a great programme of bands each and every week – and last Friday was definitely no exception.

But like, all good things that come and go oh so quickly, the third gig in the Quiet Nights season was swiftly upon us, ready to illuminate the magnificent Nash Room in a haze of musical loveliness and regency splendour once again. And, as day turned to dusk and Big Ben chimed 7 o'clock, a relaxed but eager crowd sat down, drinks in hand, to hear the first offering of the evening.

Easing us nicely into the weekend and instantly warming our cockles on this crisp, spring night were the multi-talented, Hexicon, a group of three lovely boys, hailing from Maidstone, Kent and part of the exciting Mentalist Association. (if you haven't already, go check it out.) Fronted by Mike Collins, Hexicon shyly took their places with an endearing, nervous enthusiasm and a sound much bigger and fuller than I had anticipated, immediately setting the tone for the evening with their awkward, boyish charm. Lush guitar melodies seemed to roll sweetly over the percussive plinky-plonk of a glockenspiel, with the absence of a drummer seeming to pass by unnoticed as keyboard/glockenspiel/French Horn/synth player-extraordinaire, Thom Allard seemed to shift effortlessly between instruments, from jangly keyboard ditties to quaint glock melodies and then onto full-blown lilting, French horn arrangements. But having absorbed everyone in a wave of dreamy, velvety pop and impressive falsetto harmonies which of course, recalled none other than Mr Brian Wilson and his good friends, The Beach Boys, things instantly turned a little darker when guitar was swapped to Lap steel and French horn disregarded in favour of a good old synth – I told you they were a multi-talented bunch did'nt I? Suddenly bassy, synthesized sounds and the warble of the Lap steel seemed to oscillate around the high ceilings of the Nash Room, transporting us somewhere between middle America and the moon! Whilst the lyrical lament of front-man Paul - "Tell me I'm the best, love, Tell me I'm the biggest, love" - recalled that awkward by beguiling boy-next-door type, where bittersweet folk meets loungy, batchelor-pad music.

Next up were Naked and the Boys , and after missing their last gig here at the ICA , as part of February's Young and Lost Club tour and having just released their first single on the same label, I was determined to see them this time. Toilet and cigarette breaks (that should have been tended to earlier in the interval) were now put on hold, in a quest to catch every waking minute of their set and, with a gang of giggling girls (of which I personally christened, 'The Naked-ettes') edging closer to the front to be near the band, I too, was curious to see what all the fuss was about too.

Naked and the Boys, in some ways, are a somewhat unlikely looking trio of boys, consisting of drummer George Moore, contrebass-ist Tommy Antonio (who didn't have the easiest of instruments to lug up the winding staircase to the Nash Room,) all pulled naturally together by charismatic frontman, Jack Berkeley (who, for what it's worth, has all the lovable trappings of a British indie hero) to create a unique and refined sound. Quickly ploughing through first song in a marching, rhythmic crescendo, that afterwards has the crowd enthralled in a rapturous applause of floor stomping and whooping, very un-Nash Room but wonderful to see in such a swanky setting.

Bouncing on through their set, with an unusual but rousing fusion of rock-a-billy basslines, Mersey-beat guitar riffs and even a sumptuous arrangement for their very own string quartet, brought on for one song!! NATB can evoke that summery, nostalgic feeling that makes you wish you were seventeen again, whilst simultaneously reveling in the grown up sound of the contrebasse – a sort of tug-of-war of musical tastes that sit together surprisingly well.

All in all, another successful end to the third of April's Quiet Night's by six, talented boys, so delightful that even your mother would approve!

Next week, Serafina Steer, Orphans and Vandals and Fanfarlo.

 

 

 

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