A rare live appearance at an Oxfam fundraiser in Reading by cult folk/psych/shoegazers HOO is one not to be missed as RESOUND discovered.
The Rising Sun Arts Centre may not leap out as a music venue familiar to many. But sharing an architect with the grander and slightly more well known Natural History Museum in London, the former Victorian Temperance House has hidden under the surface some illustrious DNA. It’s a trait that tonight’s headliners share. Driven over the years by main man Nick Holton with a regular assembly of guests and collaborators (that include members of Slowdive and Mojave 3) across their three albums to date, HOO’s credentials quietly shine away down a road less travelled.
Before the main act, Matt Sewell has the task of warming the room. Having ventured across from neighbouring Oxford armed with acoustic, straw hat and shirt that almost falls into the category of “loud”, he pitches his set of original material with a couple of covers for good measure to perfection and it’s a well received opening.
With minimal fanfare, the members of HOO take to the stage and launch straight into “Still Dream” taken from 2021 album “We Shall Never Speak”. As a window into the world of HOO, it is the perfect opener with driving bass layered over shuffling drums whilst spaced out guitars sparkle and flicker around Holton’s low register vocals. As with most HOO songs, it could quite easily be the soundtrack from a long lost TV drama, the sort that gets discovered in the small hours and is instantly engrossing. This otherworldly vibe of mystery and space is a constant throughout the set. Holton and his band (Lee Lavender on guitar, Paul Blewett on bass, Liberty Barlow on keys/synth and Ian McCutcheon on drums) deftly navigate through their blend of psych, folk, electronica, Shoegaze and even Goth to conjure up a heady set that across its ten songs elevates those gathered to a place both expansive and beguiling yet very welcoming.
Drawing things to a close with the addition to the stage of Nick Portnell and Kev Wells, former bandmates of Holton in Coley Park, the surf guitar refrain of “Milky Moon” lingers into the night as the satisfied gig goers depart into the sultry Reading evening.
In an age where so much of art sadly revolves around likes and delivering to catch the algorithm, there is something refreshing about the determinedly DIY and slightly maverick path Nick Holton and his compadres are forging, following a vision to take them where they wish for the pure love of the music as much as anything else. That it all sounds so damn good only adds to things – more power to their collective arm and long might they continue.
Words and pictures: Geoff Shaw
@gsmusicphotos
HOO can be found on Bandcamp at https://bigpotatorecords.bandcamp.com/music