I always do my best to see support acts, even when, in the case of Islington's Union Chapel, there's a great pub nearby for some pre-show pints. This habit was rewarded on Wednesday when I saw Moriarty open for Andrew Bird.
I'd never heard of the Franco-American collective before but apparently they are "big in France" and the Guardian tipped them as their New Band of the Day over a year ago.
Any line-up that features double bass, dobro, glockenspiel and a battery of harmonicas is likely to be fine by me but my impression was that Moriarty's combination of quirky lyrics and dive bar cabaret stage presence won over many other new fans on Wednesday night.
The band has a vintage folk-blues vibe and singer Rosemary Standley, who wouldn't look out of place on the cover of a 40s pulp novel, has a voice that reminds me of Tarnation's Paula Frazer with a touch of the Neko Case.
On Wednesday they mixed originals with covers including Depeche Mode's Enjoy the Silence. Predictably I was taken by their version of Tom Waits' Chocolate Jesus, which if I manage to get a copy, I'll share here in the future.
This track, an unlikely addition to the War on Terror canon, is from the album Gee Whiz But This Is A Lonesome Town.
MP3: Moriarty - Private Lily
Buy: Gee Whiz But This is a Lonesome Town
Buy the album and if they are playing in a town near you get yourself a ticket.
Related Links
Moriarty - MySpace
Moriarty - official site
Photos of Moriarty @ Union Chapel - more great shots by Tim Ferguson
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