From the opening riffs of London Soul’s first set in their namesake city, you could hear the influences: Led Zeppelin, BB King, and a little Iron Maiden. A tribute to those acts is not a bad way to spend an evening, I supposed. Then halfway through the second song, the band transcended their influences and came into their own. The moment the duo began the harmonizing vocals, the energy in the room instantly changed. Audience members who’d trickled in early to catch the Rival Sons opening act perked up and forgot all about the main act they were waiting to catch.
Vocally, the two are greater than the sum of their parts. They’re both sufficient rock tenors on their own, but they’ve discovered something truly special in the fabulously written question and answer melodies they’ve created. It sets them apart from other 70s Blues-Rock recreationists in a very addictive way.
Instrumentally, the stripped guitar/drums combo works well for the highly skilled musicians, and the dextrous solos late in the set never weighed down the songs. It was a fast, furious little show that gave the UK its first taste of the Brooklyn-based band. I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of them on this side of the pond.
London, England