Anaïs Mitchell

Sometimes an artist literally takes your breath away; you forget to breathe, in awe. Anaïs Mitchell was spellbinding at Komedia; a supreme storyteller, combining fragility with ferocity to devastating effect. Mermaid-like, she reeled in an adoring crowd, fresh from her recent Radio 2 Folk Awards victory (her ‘Best Traditional Track’ award-winning song opened the set). With compelling physicality (unaffected, lost-in-the-moment, one-legged guitar playing) Anaïs could not have looked or sounded more at ease in what was a perfect sound set-up (top marks, Komedia, for getting it so right). If Folk were a relay race, Anais has firmly grasped the baton from Joni and is racing ahead without even breaking a sweat.

Komedia, 4 March 2014
Rating:
Kelly Westlake