Copyright KCL
Little did I know about Skinny lister before encountering them at The Globe Cardiff, but the unexpected nights and unheard-of bands are always the best, and this was no exception.
Organised chaos is the best way of describing their performance. From the get-go the crowd were indulged in the music and matched the energy of the Lister members, who really showed their passion for their unique style of music.
Doing some research beforehand told me that their identity is heavily influenced by folk music, shown by their arguably unique use of accordions and the huge double bass. The sound created by the modern-day guitars, bass, and drums against these perhaps outdated and fewer mainstream instruments was something special, and it made for a great live experience.
All 6 band members were excellent, but Maxwell Thomas was a standout performer, not only because of his energy and enthusiasm that got the crowd going, but also because of his ability to mix up his chosen instrument; the accordion, the piano, and the banjo being the three he used on the night.
The vocals were mainly passed between Daniel Hepinstall and Lorna Thomas who both have really strong voices that complement each other well when they sang together. All members did have a microphone though, and they harmonised well throughout the set.
They featured a large number of new tracks from their latest album release “A Matter of Life & Love”, the name of the album also being one of their songs which was a more indie-pop hit, with a catchy off-beat guitar riff and upbeat drums reminding you of summer days.
“Bonny Away” was a nice mellow track that allowed the crowd to take a short break from headbanging and gave the longer serving fans a recall to one of their first released songs.
It was also nice to see the support band (The Longest Johns) join them on stage for a few songs including “Damn the Amsterdam”, Listers most streamed of their newest album, demonstrating their roots in the folk genre.
As I said before, I wouldn’t usually choose to go and watch bands of this particular genre, but Skinny Lister’s gig really opened my eyes and proved that anyone can enjoy any kind of music, no matter your taste.
Review Sam Haskins
Copyright KCL