This was the second “New faces Tour”, an idea pioneered by Communion and XFM to bring four unique, up and coming artist to intimate venues around the UK. This tour featured Pixel Fix, Kimberley Anne, Fyfe and Nottingham’s own Amber Run.
Pixel Fix
Oxford based four-piece Pixel Fix kicked off the night with their distinctive electronic/indie sound. Pixel Fix have been making a gradually increasing name for themselves, supporting the likes of Crystal Fighters, The 1975 and Little Comets, with music which takes aspects from all of these bands. They certainly made their presence well known in Bodega, awakening the crowd to the beginning of the night’s entertainment and setting the gig off to a good start. Highlights included “Lungs” and the final song “Rosa”.
Kimberley Anne
Next onstage was Kimberley Anne, another hotly tipped emerging artist with real personality, and proven ability. Her stage presence, making jokes and encouraging crowd participation, gave a personal approach which was particularly engaging due to the intimate confines of the cosy Bodega. Clearly not afraid to defy convention, Kimberley Anne’s quirky nature shows through in her music, using a wide array of instruments to create loops for her songs. Although she did have a percussionist to help, the majority of tracks were looped together by Kimberley herself showing a diversity to her talents. Highlights included new release “Liar”, “Hard as Hello” and a soulful cover of “Show Me Love”. This was a very memorable performance and it is easy to see why many believe Kimberley Anne is destined for great things.
Fyfe
Tasked with following on from Kimberley Anne was Fyfe, who took a completely different approach in his performance, but also to great avail. Although crowd interaction was minimal, Paul Dixon’s latest musical venture created an evocative and almost hypnotic display, with his unusual voice and swelling backing tracks. His delicate and thoughtful sound had a slower style which seemed to make his lyrics more poignant, reminiscent of some of the slower Alt-j songs. Fyfe is a unique artist who found his own fluid style early on his career and is sure to prove very popular. Highlights of his performance included “Holding On” and “For You”
Amber Run
There was palpable excitement as headliners Amber Run took the stage, to deliver what can only be described as a truly breath taking performance. Showing exactly why they were at the top of the bill, Amber Run opened with the powerful harmonies of “I Found” before moving through a set filled with energy and near perfect vocals. The band who formed whilst studying at the University of Nottingham demonstrated incredible composure for a relatively new band, and looked comfortable on stage, connecting with the audience well with all too relatable stories of rat infested basements in Lenton. Overall Amber Run delivered a polished performance, two years to the day from playing their first gig, showing just how far they have come, and how much further they will inevitably go. Highlights included “Pilot” as well as sing-alongs “Spark” and “Noah”
The night went down triumphantly. Squeezing four acts with limitless potential into such an understated venue was a brilliant move, and hopefully the concept of the New Faces Tour will continue into the future.
Henry Dimascio
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