Foy Vance, RAMS' Pockets Radio
Sandinos, Londonderry
Sunday 8th December 2013
Tonight, Bangor born Northern Irish Music Prize winner Foy Vance brings his 'Joy Of Nothing' World Tour to Sandinos in Derry. Before the 'man of the moment' though, Rams’ Pocket Radio warms up the audience with a 30minute set.
RAMS, aka pianist Peter McCauley from Lisburn, takes to the stage accompanied by cello and violin. He greets the crowd warmly, encouraging them to move closer to the stage as he launches into his first song. Thoughtful lyrics sit amongst the raw piano sound, balancing beautifully with the soft gentle strings. The beautiful sweet sadness of 'Love is a Bitter Thing', see's the crowd silenced by his performance and later rewarding him with a deserved standing ovation.
Foy bursts onstage, opening with ‘Be the Song’ from The Melrose EP. The crowd clearly excited, embrace him with cheers immediately giving him their full attention. Foy’s voice is gentle and emotive but with a gravelly sound that blends perfectly.
Foy has a humourous charm and open rapport with the audience. He talks about the inspiration behind his songs, giving the crowd an intimate insight into his private thoughts. And during 'Janey', he brings the audience out of their attentive trance like state to sing with him on the rest of the song.
When the crowd’s natural bustle and chatter clearly agitates him, he brings back the focus to his music with a few pointed words to the noisemakers. He later lifts the mood with a rendition of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ to everyone’s delight, following with his own crowd pleaser, ‘Shed a Little Light’.
After his final song comes to an end he exits the stage quickly, leaving the crowd to break into chants for an encore. He keeps us guessing for almost 10 minutes, but he returns with what became the performance of the night in the form of, 'Guiding Light’. As he exits the stage, the crowd are still singing along and it's clear, it was an encore definitely worth waiting for.
Stacy Fitzpatrick
Sandinos, Londonderry
Sunday 8th December 2013
Tonight, Bangor born Northern Irish Music Prize winner Foy Vance brings his 'Joy Of Nothing' World Tour to Sandinos in Derry. Before the 'man of the moment' though, Rams’ Pocket Radio warms up the audience with a 30minute set.
RAMS, aka pianist Peter McCauley from Lisburn, takes to the stage accompanied by cello and violin. He greets the crowd warmly, encouraging them to move closer to the stage as he launches into his first song. Thoughtful lyrics sit amongst the raw piano sound, balancing beautifully with the soft gentle strings. The beautiful sweet sadness of 'Love is a Bitter Thing', see's the crowd silenced by his performance and later rewarding him with a deserved standing ovation.
Foy bursts onstage, opening with ‘Be the Song’ from The Melrose EP. The crowd clearly excited, embrace him with cheers immediately giving him their full attention. Foy’s voice is gentle and emotive but with a gravelly sound that blends perfectly.
Foy has a humourous charm and open rapport with the audience. He talks about the inspiration behind his songs, giving the crowd an intimate insight into his private thoughts. And during 'Janey', he brings the audience out of their attentive trance like state to sing with him on the rest of the song.
When the crowd’s natural bustle and chatter clearly agitates him, he brings back the focus to his music with a few pointed words to the noisemakers. He later lifts the mood with a rendition of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ to everyone’s delight, following with his own crowd pleaser, ‘Shed a Little Light’.
After his final song comes to an end he exits the stage quickly, leaving the crowd to break into chants for an encore. He keeps us guessing for almost 10 minutes, but he returns with what became the performance of the night in the form of, 'Guiding Light’. As he exits the stage, the crowd are still singing along and it's clear, it was an encore definitely worth waiting for.
Stacy Fitzpatrick
