Prior to the main event at The Haunt later in the evening (see Ben Miller’s review), J Willgoose brought a stripped-down version of the Public Service Broadcasting show to Resident Records in Kensington Gardens.
With the audio visual element limited to a vintage television balanced on top of a speaker, Willgoose used a laptop, guitar, banjo and keyboard to recreate highlights from The War Room EP and his new album.
His use of samples rather than stage announcements seemed a little more forced in a venue where he could clearly see the white of the audience’s eyes.
But the close intimacy also meant the amount of work he was doing to recreate his impressive soundtracks live was more obvious.
One almost forgot the films were running, as the audience packed between the racks of the record shop focused on him building his tracks, as he frequently played guitar and keys at the same time.
Highlights included a beautiful Spitfire, with its lovely banjo lines, and the closing ROYGBIV, as he built an insistent groove nodding towards good things to come later with his live drummer.
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