Loose and free, Jesca Hoop bounds onstage in an outfit that resembles a folded kite, picks up a guitar and dives into the first song of tonight. She’s wonderfully eccentric and throughout tonight there’s many exchanges between her and the crowd – she is at one with the audience. One punter shouts out at one point “the delicate melodies of Jesca Hoop light up the sh*tholes of Britain” a remark which she seems to love and comes back to throughout the night. This isn’t intended as a dig at Brighton’s Patterns, a venue/nightclub which has hosted some brilliant evenings and bands, probably the only place you can go for great DJ sets and dance music.

Looking into Jesca Hoop’s backstory is an interesting read. She seems like a woman of the world and has lived a deep and interesting life. She’s spent a lot of time with nature, which would explain the natural folk feel to her songs. With allowances for experimentation her songs sound organic, as though the bare components would be enough on their own. However, she brings her songs into the modern world which makes for a fierce mix.

Her set is mainly cuts from her latest album Memories Are Now and features lots of the “delicate melodies of Jesca Hoop”. Hoop is very hard to pin down, she’s incredibly free on stage but her way of talking with the audience is confusing. Throughout the night she goes off on tangents between songs making jokes with the crowd, becoming focused only when she plays. There’s lots of intricate guitar playing and vocal harmonies which are always nailed by her and the band. She’s impossible to put in a box, her songs vary heavily, the only thing they have in common is that they all feel experimental.

She plays guitar as though she’s plucking a violin. Her staccato riffs fill up the room with the occasional wash of synths and deep basslines. Her set varies from stripped down folk songs to songs tinged with electronica, there’s even songs that border on being heavy rock. It’s this eclectic mix of influences that makes her music so addictive and recognisably Jesca Hoop. The set breaks from intense songs to some sparser songs, her band taking breaks and swapping instruments regularly.

Seeing her play is mesmerising. It’s open and things are kept casual. She’s in her element on stage and fully relaxed in front of an audience. Her band all play brilliantly together, they all have a chemistry with each other. There’s a few technical fumbles but nothing that would detract from the set. The set starts and ends strong with a few songs thrown in for the hard-core fans, and the room is packed with them.

Between songs she talks mostly about “rock clubs” and there’s a brief monologue about death before her drummer decides it’s time to get on with some more songs. It’s friendly and charming and gives as a brief insight into the strange mind of Jesca Hoop.

She gives a generous hour and 20 minute set before announcing it’s time to go. She’s not quite done yet and decides an encore is necessary. Instead of going off and returning she decides to curl up into a ball, pretend to have a cigarette and then “hatch” on stage. It’s a strange spectacle especially for the front row, but we get some more songs. She ends with an a capella number which really shows how well she can use her voice. She fills the room with the same intensity as songs with a full backing, she sings with rhythm and depth and the crowd are hanging onto every word. It was an evening filled with kooky banter along with some beautifully delicate songs. She’s certainly an oddball and completely revels in it, which makes her all the more intriguing.
Christian Middleton

Facebook: facebook.com/JescaHoopMusic
Twitter: twitter.com/JescaHoop
Website: jescahoop.com