Frøkedal and Family
Hidden beneath The Three Crowns, one of Stoke Newington High Street’s finest pubs is a slightly grittier but equally enticing live music venue called The Waiting Room.
It was up against this venues’ stage with a small but eager crowd that on May 26th I had the privilege of seeing the first ever London show of Norwegian song-smith, Anne Lise Frøkedal and Familien (family).
If you’ve ever seen Frøkedal play in the past, it was either as the lead singer and guitarist of Norwegian Indie-pop group Harrys Gym, who disbanded in 2013, or with her new group on a solo tour and most likely in Norway. Either way, you were probably at a music festival or with a packed out audience in a sprawling venue.
The Waiting Room however offered such a uniquely intimate experience for the fans and musicians alike, I’m not sure I could stand pushing through a large crowd of people to see her play after being spoiled so horribly rotten in this way. The gorgeous, clean yet biting tone of her telecaster mixed with her pristine, folky vocals along with violin, drums and keys transformed the evening into a far classier affair than my third pint of IPA could have possibly done justice.
When the band had played through a flawless set, they seemed to hope off the stage before their last chord has finishing ringing out, as if they weren’t the headliners. The audience in turn demanded an encore, a contingency they admittedly had not planned on.
After a quick rehearsal to cement a few guitar parts of a new song, they played through their encore in the same seamless fashion one would expect from years of rehearsal. A sure sign of the brilliant chemistry they so obviously share with one another as friends and musicians.
Also, I must pay tribute to show openers Amini, fronted by London based, Norwegian born singer-songwriter, Nio Amini. These Norwegian folk rockers are currently playing out to promote their second ep A whisper in your ear, which was released on Valentines day, 2015.
While in the same vein as Frøkedal, Amini are like their grittier younger sibling. They’re just as precise and devoted to their craft but with a ‘we’re quite nice but we’re not afraid of a drunken bar fight’ sort of vibe. Needless to say, I enjoyed them immensely.
Frøkedal will be releasing an ep of brand new songs sometime in 2015. Stay tuned to her website for music and touring info as well as The Waiting Room for more upcoming shows at this great venue.
Photo Credit: A big thank you to Chris Patmore for the use of his photos.
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