Dry The River

Encouraged by a slightly biased friend, whose boyfriend is a band member, I went to see Dry The River, headlining the Luminaire in Kilburn on Thursday 1st April. After 2 hours of dry, uninspiring music from the support acts Whole Schebang, and the bizarre Robyn Hitchcock, my expectations weren't high. And with signs on the wall strictly telling you that if you're chatting whilst a band are playing, you can just f*** off, the enjoyment of a cheeky pint and gossipy catch up could not even lessen the blow of another hour of same-y, depressing, dull noise. To my pleasant surprise, however, the desire to get another drink and go for a smoke totally disappeared as soon as Dry The River started playing. And by the first two songs, I was utterly hooked. With their folky harmonies and haunting vocals from the lead singer, Dry The River create true shivers-down-the-spine music. The gig commenced with the fragile, stripped down Demons, moving on to the more lively The Chambers and the Valves whose catchy mandolin-infused chorus refused to leave my head for two days after the gig. With lyrics that interlace biblical references with childhood imagery and painful honesty, I had permanent goosebumps for most of the set. History Book almost made me cry. In a very good way. As did the wonderful cover of Sarah Siskind's Lovin's for Fools which closed the hour long set, with an audience momentarily stunned to silence.

A band that definitely screams watch-this-space. Go and see them. Any demands not to talk during the gig will definitely be heeded, I guarantee.

Check their website for upcoming gigs and music.