Folklore Sessions was first dreamt up by Jacko Hooper as a way of creating a community for Brighton’s singer-songwriters, and has been slowly building a reputation for high-quality stripped-back performances over three years at The White Rabbit. Having attracted such diverse acts as The Xcerts, Gabrielle Aplin, Tall Ships and Ellie Ford in the past, it has become one of the major showcases for the Brighton music scene. Tonight was no exception and Brightonsfinest was there to catch an eclectic night of music at The Hope & Ruin as Folklore left its spiritual home for the first time.

First up was Oktoba, local singer-songwriter Chris Athorne, who had attracted fans from as far afield as Portsmouth. Needlessly apologising for having a hoarse throat, he took us through a beautiful and emotionally-charged set. There is a real honesty to Oktoba’s voice, and he showed an unerring ability to silence and captivate the room with every song. New single ‘Chance', which will be released under the Folklore label, was particularly gorgeous, with a gentle but urgent rhythm. However, the highlight was a stunning cover of Madness’ ‘It Must Be Love’, transforming it into something fragile and delicate.

Next up were The Hungry Mothers, who instantly injected some pace with a rockabilly intro before a fantastic set packed with Creedence-style Southern rock. Celebrating that this was one of their first shows as a full band (before realising that it didn’t count as one of them wasn't there), it was hard to believe that this show comes so early in their career. Declan Haughian (drums) is an engaging and hilarious host, and the groove that Archie Nelson (vocals/guitar) and Harry Baker (bass/guitar) delivered was incredible and took the crowd straight to the Deep South. ‘Ain’t Nothing’ had the whole room hollering and stomping their feet as if they were at a rodeo, before ‘South Of France’ (dedicated to the onlooking Martha Gunn) rounded off a highly promising set. Ones to watch for sure.

The night then saw the rebirth of some local favourites as Twilight Driving gave a short but impressive display. Formerly known as Aniseed Treats, this band were only on stage for 25 minutes but showed enough in that time to impress and left everyone wanting more. Playing Americana-tinged indie-rock with the addition of synths, there was more than a hint of the last Bear’s Den album while their upcoming debut single ‘Soft & Pink’ also captured some of the spirit of The Gaslight Anthem. By the end of their set they had generated the loudest reaction from a crowd delighted to have them back.

Finally, the ringmaster himself, Jacko Hooper, took to the stage backed by a five-piece band. Making the point that “it is a privilege to have so many friends and artists on stage tonight”, he re-iterated what makes nights like this special. His singing voice seemed to be more powerful than previously, almost as if the introduction of the band has forced him to add a bit more volume. The band itself were terrific, adding a great layer to opening tracks ‘All I Deserve, Is Not You’ and ‘Home From Home’ with a particularly great performance from trumpeter Tommy Peach. Not afraid to display that same emotional touch as Oktoba earlier in the night, he also slowed things down with a beautiful solo version of ‘If You Don't Love’ before a beautiful duet with Rebecca Brandler.

As the band rejoined him for the last couple of tracks of the night, it was easy to spot what makes these shows so successful. Like a micro version of The Great Escape, they represent a snapshot of an increasingly healthy independent scene. In an increasingly cut-throat industry, it’s great to see someone striving to rise above all that and concentrate purely on the music with other bands dropping by to add support. Long may the Folklore Sessions continue.

Jamie MacMillan

Website: folkloresessions.bigcartel.com
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Twitter: twitter.com/jacko_hooper