aaamusic | On 06, Mar 2011

London, 2nd March

Playing the ICA tonight is Dublin’s James Vincent McMorrow. With his rugged looks and the inevitable ‘folk beard’, McMorrow looks every part the troubadour.

The gig opens with a short acoustic intro to then follow with ‘From the Woods’.

Despite some of the tracks having a bit of dull feeling to them, Breaking Hearts is excellent, perhaps the highlight of the set. James also delighted the audience with a solo cover of Sun Kill Moon’s Like The River – perfectly executed, however I prefer him doing is own tunes.

The crowd goes on fire at the first notes of This Old Dark Machine, together with another great highlight of the set If I Had A Boat, which has been slow built with a magnificent chorus, providing a great crescendo.

The presence of a full band for most of the set proves to be a wise choice, as it really adds to the music.

Blessed with a wonderful, almost broken voice filled with passion, James Vincent McMorrow plays a moving set and proves to be not only a talented musician, but also a really nice guy. An excellent night.

Author & Photo: Laura Oliver