Sunday 13th June 2010 @ Louisiana, Bristol
With Support From: Pepino

Ethereal urban foxes Pepino screech to the heavens and ask questions why. Blythe Pepino’s passion comes with ease as she recalls the situations from which these comical and hearty lyrics originated. Clutter, a response to the pains of cleaning other people’s houses, is a thumper of a tune, and their wistful beauty of a song about growing up in the country (not written by Pepino) is rose-tinted and beautiful. The violins and cello add to the juxtaposed sounds of soft, drawn out vocals and gutsy, propelling sounds. Like a Tori Amos/Imogen Heap/Tinkerbell with balls – they’re a contemporary girl de force and unavoidably likeable.

Tonight’s headliner is a legend of Bristol; a folk hero and possessor of pouring, deep, friendly eyes; he is Pete Roe and puts on a triumphant show. Everyone at the Louisiana obviously adored him, with many clearly far from previously untouched by him - indeed there were some heavily staunch Roe supporters. As a consequence of this love in the air, together with the home turf, there was an extremely pleasant and relaxed performance and atmosphere tonight.

With his flat cap and beard, Pete Roe is much the West Country Dickensian character, strumming his guitar, chatting and rhyming his ballads and ho-downs. His songs are golden and honest but also have an oldie England charm with a smattering of nineteenth century cheeky, poetic street fellow in them.

As he moved to “Landan” not so long ago and has since hit the good times with Communion, Laura Marling and Mumford And Sons et al., Pete could easily have become a Brick Lane symbol, a Shoreditch savvy squire, but he hasn’t. Pete Roe still retains his joyful, heart warming appeal. He chats of how he left his bag of clothes at home in London and has since been hitting the charity shops for everything – apart from his shoes, which he got from M&S. There isn’t an iota of diva in that man. I think everyone wants him to be their friend. You could take him to your granny to restore her faith in ‘the young’.

The EP tracks Pete performed had an intimacy and tenderness, proving he is up with the some of the best folkers around. The last two songs, including favourite The Devil’s Dancefloor, contrasted to these swayers with some serious vibrancy - the guest fiddle player adding explosions of sound with his snappy and elongated strings. Like a glinting summer’s evening lolling with friends, it was all very rosy - a good show and a proud crowd.

www.myspace.com/peteroe

Helen Martin