Lost in the Manor Presents Such is the refreshingly diverse nature of the Finsbury clientele, that the crowd on the final Friday of May included a fully kitted-out softball team, fresh from an evening swinging the bat in nearby Finsbury Park. Not that such overt Americana had any noticeable impact on The Black Ink, whose white-shirt-black-tie Brit-beat shtick disguised a psychedelic rock band of greater depth. Three of the five members strummed six-strings but never overwhelmed, adopting a share-and-share-alike approach to their playing that was complementary rather than intrusive; flourishes such as the sparkling slide riff on ‘Tangerine’ gave the song its singular hook. Tight and accomplished, The Black Ink were at their best when belting out pop-flecked uptempo stompers, energised by a vibrant rhythm section. Oh, and it has to be said, the anchorman, sorry, the lead singer, was a dead ringer for Will Ferrell. No jazz flute tonight, though, sadly.
Headliners The Bedlamytes may have been more rudimentary musically, but they boasted an immediate focal point in singer Jasmine, whose keyboard swells and runs elevated sometimes functional tunes to a more intriguing level. Her strong vocal resemblance to Siouxsie Sioux completed the quartet’s alternative-eighties vibe, one where the occasional driving riff and catchy dynamic crescendo stood out rather than any infectious track as a whole. Still, another night at The Finsbury, another set of ascending London bands for no cover charge. All in all, another Home Run, as they may have been shouting on the sports pitches nearby.
