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Wednesday 9 May 2012

Gigs - Ahab - The Deaf Institute


Star rating – 7/10

Ahab are usually a five piece UK Americana band, with soaring four part harmonies giving away their London busking roots. For this tour, and the first time I have seen them live,  they are without a couple of band members – their guitarist and co-founder Callum Adamson having just had his appendix out had a sick note, and they decided to give their drummer a rest too to create a more pared down threesome.
And what harmonies they create. Each of the three members present was equally confident on lead vocals, with three sumptuous voices that wrap around each other beautifully. It was a great night, full of fun and beautiful songs, with a small but very appreciative and devoted crowd to hear them. My personal favourites were one of their singles Wish You, the toe tapping Run Me Down, with its particularly beautiful vocals; and the lovely, catchy heartbreak tune Joanna.

They also covered the word of mouth country favourite, the Old Crow Medicine Show’s fantastic Wagon Wheel. This song is an oft covered catchy love song involving trains and Carolina. It has a great back story too, including being co-written by Bob Dylan – sort of. Check it out.  

They performed a few new songs included Neighbours, complete with a bit of mouth organ action. Rosebud made a lovely end to the night, with an encore in the middle of the audience, busking style, of My Father’s Eyes. Their temporary format had a slightly improvised feel to it, but that was no bad thing. This was a wonderful taste of a great emerging band, with warm personalities and an infectious love of their music. They are definitely worth checking out with their full complement of members. 


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