I Am Kloot, York Duchess, 22 January 2011

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In 2003, I stumbled across a free CD - 'XRay 2003'. Featured on the giveway were bands Franz Ferdinand and the classic 'Shopping for Blood', a turn from Razorlight and the delightful 'Celebrity Sanctum' by soon to be buzz of the moment Dogs Die in Hot Cars.

Also included was a gem of a song, 'Life In A Day', by the delightfully named I Am Kloot. Opening with a drum call of yesteryear, it soon soundtracked my every move, captured on CD for the Discman and ripped to mini-disc for the state of the art mini-disc player which emerged in first year college.

So that was how my love affair with I Am Kloot started, a freebie which changed my compilation tape making for many a year to come. In the years that followed I kept an eye on Bramwell and company who released album after album. Great things were to follow in 2011, with the release of their superb album 'Northern Skies'. For me, the album is a homage to the art of music-making from the old days, a beautifully crafted album with lyrics to make your heart soar. 

Proper Northern - a pier, a man and dog and I Am Kloot. Awesome.

Supported by the gravelling tones of Dan Michaelson and the Coastguards, the venue was at capacity in anticipation. The support set in itself was magical, Michaelson's voice calling up memories as he turned through his set.

By the time I Am Kloot came onto the stage, there was a fevour of excitement. York can have an indifferent attitude to gigs, sometimes favouring to come out en masse for a hyped band and choosing to ignore the gems of bands playing their venues. For once though, people had turned out for an awesome band and were almost in shushed wonder before Bramwell started playing.

Opening with Northern Skies was both beautiful and humbling - this run of gigs, just before the album of the same name would be nominated for a Mercury Prize, seemed to see the band recongise their impending breakthrough status. It's only happened on other occasion, and it's a rarity to see a band on stage, look out, and realise.

Superb gig, for a superb band.





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