Anais Mitchell LIVE @ Union Chapel, Islington 25.11.14  

Vermont folky Anais Mitchell charms the Union Chapel with a beaming personality and oodles of talent.
Rating:
Rating:

In a spotlight under the grand, gothic majesty of Union Chapel’s celestial setting, Vermont singer/songwriter Anais Mitchell cuts a fidgety, elfish figure brimming with cheery personality and a gentle intensity. Her legs flex uncontrollably, head wiggles and shoulders twitch as her fingers dance manically along the guitar frets. So often folk songstresses are shrinking violets of timid, still heartbreak, but Mitchell is a jestering storyteller full of twisted fairytales, traditional odes and her own meandering folk serenades.

Her genuine warmth is heartily returned from the creaking pews of the 19th century Islington church (surely the capital’s most idyllic gig venue), and she launches into opener Willie of Winsbury in a focused, energetic trance.  A shy, ever present grin masks the potency of songs such as If It’s True, Why We Build a Wall and Our Lady of the Underground, and her style flits between the smooth tones of Emmylou, the righteous angst of Ani DiFranco (her label boss and big inspiration) and the rural, farm gal charm of Devon Sproule. She’s a spritely ball of energy, slightly scatty at times, with songs pouring out of every pore and a mind that restlessly sparks.  It’s easy to be mesmerised.

With its stain glass windows, ethereal acoustics and looming presence, this is a venue that can send performers into an overblown, heightened sense of themselves. The urge to bring in gospel choirs, X Factor pyrotechnics and smoke machines and to open up the lungs for a belt at Hallelujah must be overwhelming. When Mitchell was here in 2011 she had her own unique stab at those theatrics whilst performing her acclaimed folk opera album Hadestown. Based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, set in dystopian, depression-era America and featuring Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), she recants how she had a stage full of performers who she hardly knew and Martin Carthy singing from the balcony. This time the 33-year-old is on her lonesome, relying on her oodles of talent and charm to loosen the notoriously frigid London crowd.

She does so by asking us to join in with Any Way You Come, a song she’s penned for Bonnie Raitt in order to finance her daughter’s college fund – Raitt hasn’t responded yet. “This is the interlude where Bonnie unleashes a slide guitar solo,” Mitchell giggles halfway through, as the uplifting country croon soars into a glorious Americana pop hymn. Its glossy harmonies fill the high, towering steeples and send us into a head bobbing singalong –it’s perfect for Raitt, Dolly or any of those classic, stadium-filling country legends.

Unplugging for a jigging, stage wandering encore of Way Down Hadestown, she leaves us by bringing out support act This Is The Kit (Kate Stables) for a festive a Capella rendition of old English lullaby Coventry Carol. It caps a fine night from one of folk’s most imaginative and creatively ambitious young minstrels, who more people really should know of. Next time bring the smoke machine though.

Kevin Irwin

Kevin Irwin

Kevin Irwin

Kevin Irwin

Latest posts by Kevin Irwin (see all)