CityLife

Spinningfields Summer Festival

I’M sitting in a tent in Spinningfields drinking a speciality beer listening to some live, acoustic music. It sounds like I should be at some hippy festival, not at one of the city’s most corporate venues on a Wednesday night. But somehow, it works.

The Kro bar’s Spinningfields tent is warm and inviting, the music is apt for the surroundings, and although I’ve enjoyed some more upbeat music at this venue before, tonight’s is particularly laid back.

The first act is a soloist who goes by the name of I Love Tea. He plays a mixture of his own acoustic-folk before launching into a series of covers that include Neil Young’s Rockin’ in the Free World that were surprisingly well appreciated.

He summed up the feeling at the post-work gig, which began at 5.30pm perfectly: “You don’t have to clap, just sit back and enjoy the atmosphere.”

The charity event is a weekly occurrence in the name of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy, which uses improvisation to help adults and children with learning difficulties express themselves through music.

By the time the third and final band took to the stage, the audience had swelled a little and I Am Three feed off the slightly tipsy banter.

Well, it is 8pm and we’ve been drinking a range of world beers since 5.30pm on an empty stomach.

Banter from them included some Chupa Chup trivia, judgment cast on the guitar player who can’t afford strings and some discussion about whether the audience like bands who talk in between songs.

It was informal and surprising to say the least. Songs about pigeons, love and fame washed over the audience as I Am Three indulged in their favourite music, their own.

Their percussive, quirky songs fitted the venue well, here’s hoping the following events will gather momentum and popularity.

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