tUnE-yArDs

Merrill Garbus’ career has seen her emerge from Oakland hipster to burgeoning mainstream success. This sold-out show offered proof, if any was needed, that her band is surely destined to provide the festival soundtrack for 2014. From the funky Afrobeat stylings of Water Fountain to the gentler ukulele strum of Fiya, this eclectic set, mostly featuring songs from last month’s Nikki Nack and performed in a sweltering Concorde 2, felt nothing if not summery. Equal parts early Yeasayer, Bjork, Kate Bush and sketch show Portlandia, the result was a relentlessly entertaining, if sometimes annoyingly quirky, gig from a star in the making.

Concorde 2, 26 June 2014

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