As Saturday nights go, mine was a real treat. I was lucky enough to be one of 200 people who spent it at The Flowerpot in Kentish Town (incidentally a venue run by the amazing Beans On Toast), where the advertised “members of Mumford & Sons” were in fact joined by Damien Rice, Pete Roe, Alan Pownall, and Angus & Julia Stone for an unforgettable night of music madness.
I arrived before the 7pm opening time and was glad to have done so when I joined the back of an already long queue outside the tiny pub. Until after the music finished at 11pm, the outside of this musical den was brimming with people hoping to earn themselves a place inside to touch elbows with the stars and hear some inspiring tunes – with a one-in-one-out policy, however, an exceptional few were in fact successful!
First to grace the stage was the wonderful Pete Roe, who treated us to his new EP ‘The Merry Go Round’ (released through Communion, of course) in its entirety, before inviting a collective of other musicians on stage for an epic finishing number that really set the scene for the rest of the evening. Angus & Julia Stone were up next, and impressed with a short and beautiful set which concluded with a wonderful cover of Grease’s ‘You’re The One I Want’, for which Damien Rice joined them on stage. I’ll definitely be checking out Angus & Julia’s next show.
The Communion brand is well-known for its collective, community spirit, and the addition of Damien Rice on an otherwise rather Communion-oriented lineup was not out of place. The caveman-fashioned Mr. Rice invited twenty or so members of Communion’s star-studded audience on stage and acted as conductor to form an impressive vocal version of ‘Volcano’, complete with grouped audience harmonies and body percussion. An extraordinary scene to watch unfold, standing just an arm’s length from the action. The drummer who performed with Damien later told me they met on stage, having never played together before.
Alan Pownall followed the Damien Rice experience, and where most would seem underwhelming after such a unique performance from Damien Rice, Alan didn’t disappoint in the slightest. Aided by members of Mumford & Sons on stage, Alan performed four beautiful songs that showed enchanting personality and passion. Our friends over at The Ruckus were savvy enough to grab an acoustic session with Alan upstairs after his set – you can check out the videos here.
My first London Communion experience was exceptional, and the man running the show – the also exceptional Kev Jones (formerly of Cherbourg) – deserves all the praise in the world. Having been going to gigs since age 12, I can honestly say that this was one of the best nights I have ever had the privilege of attending. Long live Communion.