On Wednesday evening I once again found myself in the familiar confines of the Brudenell Social Club to catch the much-anticipated live return of Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.
With support from Pocket Dragon/Lydia Kitto and Halfsleeper, it was set to be another great night hosted by Futuresound Events.
Opening up the show was Charlie Thomas, also known as Halfsleeper – a Leeds/Paris based musician who played an intriguing mix of dream-pop and shoegaze. The performance was both unassuming and intoxicating, with haunting, ethereal melodies accompanying his unique vocal style. The audience was fittingly swept away by his introspective musical offerings and the night was off to a great start.
Next up was London based collaboration Pocket Dragon/Lydia Kitto. It was my first time seeing the neo-soul/funk act and they certainly did not disappoint. The set was sophisticated and slick, with an impressive wall of sound emanating from the stage, perfectly highlighting all of the glorious experimentation and groovy riffing. Lydia’s voice was distinct and powerful, adding another layer to the already irresistible sound. Leaving the stage to great applause, the 4-piece clearly went down a storm and had the crowd suitably warmed up for the main event.
Finally, it was time for Sam Duckworth (known under the moniker Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly) to take to the stage. After a 4-year hiatus it was great to see the Southend indie/folk legend back on the circuit with a new band and new album to boot. With 12 years of releases and gigging under his belt, it was no surprise to see the venue full with devoted fans eager to hear fresh material from the recently released Young Adult album, in addition to the older classics.
The atmosphere in the room was electric, in part due to the clear chemistry of the new line up. There was a great sense of excitement and positivity coming from the stage, which flowed through the audience and made the performance extremely heart-warming and memorable. The Get Cape classic I-Spy was met with wall-to-wall singing from the crowd, and with its uplifting guitar solo and compelling lyrics, an early contender for song of the night was delivered. The song Animate from the latest album was also greeted with a great response and proved to be another highlight of the set.
The band’s gratitude was clear to see as they worked their way through a performance brimming with undeniable musicianship and a humble greatness which is rarely observed. The Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager (Part 2) also from the debut album sounded huge, remaining in the setlist since its release 12 years ago and sounding as prominent as ever. Sam has an extremely gifted way of expressing the whole gamut of human emotion in his voice and lyrics and it is an absolute joy to behold in a live environment. Similarly, it is wonderful to see that he is still being supported in such a way after a few years away from the circuit.
The night was a roaring success and gave yet another insight into the fantastic diversity and unrivalled quality of music happening in the UK at the moment. A triumphant return indeed. I hope to hear more from them soon.
The new Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly album Young Adult is out now and there are 2 dates left on the bands UK tour as follows:
October 17th – The Hope & Ruin, Brighton
October 19th – Islington Assembly Hall, London
