Having moved to London over a year ago to pursue their music career, Irish fans were more than excited to see the Hudson Taylor lads return home for their biggest headline show to date.
As the massive crowd of fans permeated this sold out Whelans show, we were presented by two fantastic performances by Little Bear and Rosie Carney, both of who’s sound was a real catch amongst this massive audience.
Brothers, Harry and Alfie, joined their backing band on stage with an explosive start as they dived into what sort of seems to be becoming an almost iconic song for Hudson Taylor- ‘A Drop In The Ocean’. From the opening guitar strum to the very last pounding vocal, the utterly committed fans did not stop screaming lyrics back at these guys.
Moving on to well-known ‘Cinematic Lifestyle’ tracks, ‘Watchtower’ and ‘Butterflies’, encouraging the crowd to throw their hands in the air in appreciation of Harry’s cheerful stage presence, and Alfie’s always expected intense energy as they belted each song around the venue flawlessly.
After introducing us to some new songs, which received a wonderful reaction from this massive crowd, it was time to axe through more of this beautifully balanced set list. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Hudson Taylor show without a little twist and some lovely interaction with the clearly adoring fans. Stepping away from the mics, to stand right over the front row and perform an intimate version of one of their slower songs, ‘Left Alone’, before inviting the entire venue to sing Happy Birthday to their mum, who proudly resided on the balcony, set out with balloons and other party decorations. This personal performance of ‘Left Alone’ just showcased the amazing showmanship and talent these guys have. The silence around the venue for the entire three minutes was almost deafening; except for the beautiful sound of the crowd singing the chorus in unity. With the ability to pull off performances as exceptional as this, it’s absolutely no wonder that these guys are going places fast.
With plenty more songs to be played from both ‘Battles’ and ‘Cinematic Lifestyle’, stand-out track of the night for me, without a doubt, was unreleased and relatively new song, ‘World Without You’. This lyrically stunning song, beginning with a timid guitar piece hiding behind Alfie’s rustic vocals, produced a wonderful atmosphere. As the song kicked in with a bang, with Harry’s soft voice joining forces in harmony with Alfie, as he executed pure passion on a floor tom, it rekindled that whole Hudson Taylor image and sound. It’s these fantastically unique additions to the set that make Hudson Taylor one of the best live bands I’ve been lucky enough to witness.
Ending the set on crowd favourites, ‘Chasing Rubies’ and ‘Cinematic Lifestyle‘ left the fans wanting more of this energy, as they sang every line at the top of their voices. Departing the stage on an eruptive finish, it wasn’t long before they skipped back on stage after the forceful chants of “one more tune” resonated in the room. With a powerful cover of ‘Mrs. Robinson’ opening their encore before playing the lively, spirited title track off their debut EP ‘Battles’. With this supposedly being their last song, confused glances were shared between fans, as if to say “they’re not playing Lose Yourself?”. Followed by a roar which could have torn the roof off Whelans, Harry asked “will we play one more?”, whilst easing into the recognisable opening keys of their rendition and mash-up of ‘Lose Yourself’, ‘Flume’ and ‘Walking On The Moon’, known to them and their fans as ‘Lose Yourself Walking On The Flume’. Pouring every last ounce of energy into this final track, which they’ve very much been acclaimed for since their busking days, it was the perfect last leg to what was a top class performance throughout.
With a stage presence that even the longest running, most successful musicians would envy, tasteful, flawless songwriting, and unbelievable talent, it was about time Hudson Taylor announced the signing of a well-deserved record deal, and quite frankly, it was only ever expected that these guys be confirmed for a large number of festivals this Summer, and I certainly can’t wait to see them rock that festival vibe at Indiependence. Whatever your festival choice this Summer, don’t miss these top of the pile musical geniuses.
Photos by Adam Ellison: