This Is The Kit are a decade-old folk group spearheaded by the wonderfully talented Kate Stables, her sound is sweet, delicate and oh so relaxing. Tonight, following the release of their hit record, Moonshine Freeze, Kate and the band have managed to pack out Concorde 2 and put on one hell of a show that many will not be forgetting soon.

Opening tonight are Barbarossa, a duo both called James, who bring forth a beautiful ambience through smooth synth and simple but eloquent backing tracks. Vocalist James Mathé holds a brilliant variety to his notes, being able to not only add further delicacies to the overall sound, but he is simultaneously capable of supplying a nice sense of power and spark into each track. For those looking for a new artist who you can truly revel in and get completely lost in their sound, Barbarossa are definitely a name that is worth checking out.

The night is ready to step into its next stage as This Is The Kit enter the stage under a cover of saturated blue lighting and smoke. They burst into the intricate instrumentals of ‘Easy On The Thieves’, some minor early nerves seem to get the better of Kate as a few dud notes leave her instrument but, as the vocals kick in, she rapidly finds her flow and is eager to show her talents to this ecstatic crowd. Despite the minor speed bumps the audience are already melting in the palm of Kate’s hand and let out an overwhelmingly loud applause, she clearly has nothing to worry about.

The band join the sound, transforming Kate’s delicate solo work into far more of a holistic upbeat folk group. ‘Silver John’ and ‘Moonshine Freeze’ are both performed fantastically, sending the crowd through yet another state of hysterical applause and support. The basslines throughout tonight’s set from Jesse D Vernon are an undoubted highlight of the entire evening, her subtle addition acts as the perfect complementation to the sound as Jesse dances along her bass neck, adding a great amount of hidden detail and intrigue which so many bassists shy away from attempting. Likewise, Kate’s vocals only continue to grow in stature as the set progresses, revealing she can not only supply a nice level of angelic delicacies but also a very earthy haze which induces a lovely warming feeling throughout the room.

It is clear that tonight’s show means a great deal to the band as, not only is their eagerness to perform more than visible through their bouncing and infectious smiles, but Kate remarks a number of times how grateful she is to be able to perform to this number of people and receive such a response on the last day of their tour, adding just another level of personal attachment to the show’s significance.

As the set beings to enter its twilight stages, This Is The Kit bring out all the stops through ‘Hotter Colder,’ with an accompaniment from fellow performers Barbarossa and, an encore with fan favourite ‘Bashed Out’. The track makes for a colourful and satisfying ending to the show and the crowd once again showcase their enjoyment through another wave of cheers and chants before leaving the room with some immensely big grins on their faces.

An evening with This Is The Kit is certainly one you should not pass up on if you get the chance to go to their show, Kate is a terrific performer and truly one of the most exciting names around the folk scene today. Likewise, Moonshine Freeze has done the band a great justice, but they have proven tonight that they easily exceed their recorded counterparts in a live environment.

Ben Walker

Website: thisisthekit.co.uk
Facebook: facebook.com/thisisthekit
Twitter: twitter.com/thisisthekit